Itza y Popo
by Green-Silver-Darkness
Summary: When EZ is released from prison he believes blood and family are synonymous. What will happen when a 17 year old girl sets him straight? Maybe family can mean so much more than blood and he just needs Leticia to show him... What will the MC think when she tries?
1. Chapter 1-Blood

**A.N. I know this is a pairing that I might catch hate for. The age difference is definitely on my radar. I do feel like in the show there is a little bit of a spark there though. In my eyes EZ is a little bit emotionally stunted compared to his peers. He has after all been in prison for the entirety of his adult life. Leticia is the exact opposite, she has had to live well beyond her years for a significant period of time. Not to mention I can see Leticia really thriving off the compassion and effort EZ puts into others, while EZ can learn from Leticia when it comes to survival.**

 **Throughout this story there will be some heavy sexual themes, some of which may be triggering. This story is rated M for a reason. Now you've all been warned. That being said, I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters I just enjoy using my imagination concerning them.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

There is a split second when reality doesn't register when experiencing something unimaginable. The world drowns out, the light amplifies just a tad, and you process things in slow motion. EZ knew this feeling wasn't just a phenomenon, he'd experienced it before. He felt it when he found his mother, laying in a pool of her own blood. He felt it when his ex slammed a little black and white picture down on the prison visitor's table. He felt it most of all when he pulled the trigger of an old 44 caliber revolver.

He also felt it now, sitting across from a DEA agent he didn't even remember being related to him, as he dictated to EZ how his life was "over but didn't have to be forever…if only they could work something out."

….' _¡No mames!...where was that sentiment 7 years ago, primo?'_ EZ barely manages to not roll his eyes at the offer.

"I want to talk to my pop." He interrupted the man he only knew from photos as KJ.

"Mira wey, this is prison... it ain't phone a friend." KJ replied

"I want to talk to my pop, or I ain't signing shit...dude…" EZ replied sarcastically.

"Your call primo, I will see what I can do."

"Do that…" EZ said and stood from the table indicating the meeting to be over. If he were being honest, he had no intention of leaving prison.

If prison was good for one thing it was teaching you your life was inconsequential unless you learned from your past. EZ had learned many things since entering Stockton State Prison 7 years ago. He had learned he knew almost nothing while he was in high school even though he was in the top 5% of his class, and had received an academic and a sports scholarship to several California State Schools. He learned that having a photographic memory was much more useful than the "fun party trick" his old friends had referred to it as. He had learned that people lived day to day trying to survive not thrive and that thriving was somewhat self-indulgent. He also learned that everyone leaves you in the end, except your family. He knew what KJ wanted. He wanted Galindo. The problem was the only way to get to Galindo was for EZ to go through the MC, and the MC meant to go through his brother, Angel, and that wasn't something he was willing to do. So, he wasn't intending to leave this hellhole until he was grey, and in his 40's. He knew what his pop would say, _'Blood will always land on blood.'_ and EZ would land on blood.

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

When the world slows down, and the ringing in your ears is deafening, and your breathing is all you can feel; when you're numb for just a moment until all sensation hits you in the most painful way, that is what being punched in the face by a 220 lb man is like when you're 5'1 and a 105 lbs. It is not even registering the pain in your face because you are so stunned by the way your brain bounces around in your skull that you can't even remember what pain means. Leticia knew this feeling well. She wasn't even old enough to legally drive a car until tomorrow, but apparently she was old enough to know that using the money, she had just made at the Santo Padre motel an hour ago, to eat before bringing the full haul to Alberto was a mortal sin. This wasn't even his house! She had no idea how he could demand she pay him rent money when he was crashing in her mom's place?

"Leti! Levántate, pinche perra!" Alberto raged from somewhere above her.

She fucking hated being called Leti. It reminded her of every bad thing that had ever happened to her.

It wasn't always like this, she wasn't always like this. Sure, Celia wasn't a good mom but she used to be better. She would come home late, or sometimes not at all but she always asked Leticia about school, or her friends, she always left money for food if she went out, and she always smiled at her. But something happened when Celia started dating her boyfriend before Alberto. His name was Mani, and Leticia used to wish he would marry her mom. Mani was so... _nice_ ; he was smart, and caring, and he treated her mom so well, and he treated Leticia like a daughter, not like some extra pet living in the second bedroom.

The longer Mani was around however, the more Celia started to look at Leticia like she was wrong in every way. When she was 13 the comments started, first they were little, like maybe her mom was just in a bad mood and had been pushed the wrong way…

' _You would know that if you ever fucking listened, Leticia!' 'Of course you don't understand, Leticia, why would I think you would?' 'Is it honestly too much to ask for you to be at least average Leticia?'_

Then they escalated…

 _'Eres un piche idiota, Leticia!' 'I never wanted you Leticia.' 'You ruined everything, Leticia.'_

Until one day she couldn't remember a time when her mother hadn't called her a whore with every word she could think of, until all her mom said to her was...

 _'Shut up before I put you out.' 'Callate pinche puta before I give you to someone who will know how to use your mouth for better things.'_

The problem was Leticia wasn't an idiot or below average, she was smart, but she was the kind of smart that knew they were smart. So she answered these comments instead of just putting her head down and taking them. It was like she couldn't help herself. She knew they would end in getting slapped, or thrown, or shaken, maybe even kicked as Celia had demonstrated a few times when drunk, but she just couldn't keep her mouth shut.

By the time Leticia was 14 she hated her mother, but never more than the day Mani left. He left while Leticia was at school, she didn't even get to say goodbye. She knew it was coming, he had been distant with her for a few weeks, almost like he was preparing her for being alone with Celia. He didn't intervene when things got really nasty and he would slip out of the house to go to a bar instead of breaking it up like he had done before. When she got home he hadn't even left a note for her mother. Instead there was a small scrap of paper with her name written on it laying on the kitchen table. It only had two words, almost unreadable, they were scrawled so quickly.

"¡Aguas mijita!"

 _'Watch out little one…'_ Leticia smirked while remembering it now.

Do you think he would have left if he had known that Celia in a rage would drag her to Ronnie, the man Celia worked for, with a smile as she introduced her as 'Leti' and demanded that Ronnie work her willing or not? Do you think he would have left if he would have known that Ronnie would lock her in a room with a 54 year old white trucker to be used like a 'little doll'? She didn't need to guess if he would have left though because she knew, because he did and two years later she was still exactly where he left her, hell.

"LETI...I said get up, you fucking useless cunt!" She remained motionless… _'maybe he would go away?'_ Probably not, but in that moment she was sure of two things.

One, was that blood was a fucking tragic irony, something to make you believe in love but to ultimately teach you everyone leaves you in the end, everyone. The other, was that this was by far the worst birthday she had ever had. Which made her laugh just a little in the saddest sort of way. _'Here is to 16…'_ she thought right before she got brutally kicked in the ribs.

* * *

Translations:

 _¡No mames!: Damn, no way!_

 _primo: cousin_

 _Mira wey: Hey dude_

 _"Leti! Levántate, pinche perra!": "Leti, get up you fucking bitch!"_

 _'Eres un piche idiota, Leticia!': "You're a fucking idiot, Leticia!"_

 _"Callate pinche puta...": "Shut up you fucking whore..."_

 _"¡Aguas mijita!": "Watch out little one." (affectionate semi/familial endearment)_


	2. Chapter 2- Shock

**A.N.: Another short chapter here just setting the stage. The next one will almost double in length as this story really gets going. Again, I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

 _ **One month later...**_

" _You have to take the deal."_

EZ was shocked. Never, while imagining what his Pop would say about this deal, had he thought "taking it" would be the answer.

"But Angel…" he tried to argue.

"Your brother is well placed within the MC. They trust him. He never has to know about this." his father replied calmly.

"But Pop, don't you see, if anything goes wrong it isn't just me holding the bag. It's Angel too. We will be a package deal if this goes south." EZ couldn't risk it. His family was all he had and to take this deal would be to put Angel in a dangerous position without letting him know.

"Angel would want this. Sangre es sangre. You have a chance right now to chase a life you always wanted or you can wait for 15 more years for it to even start."

EZ couldn't believe it. _'Would Angel really want this?'_ He didn't know, which is what bothered him so much and he couldn't find out without giving the whole thing away. He couldn't tell Angel, Angel was a terrible liar. If anything ever happened, on the off chance that the MC truly trusted Angel maybe they would believe EZ acted alone but only if Angel was truly shocked when the deal came to light. _'If the deal came to light'_

"They need you Ezekiel. You can ask for conditions, get them in writing as part of your deal. They can't ever touch your brother y lo que tu hermano ama. All they want is Galindo y tu primo es demasiado fresa. He will agree to anything to try and make this case work."

These last 7 years had been hard for EZ but he felt like he was beginning to become accustomed to prison. He wasn't sure that was a good thing. The first year he had been in Stockton State was the hardest. He had to realize quickly he wasn't better than anyone else there, he wasn't special. He was so angry with himself that he spent the first few weeks constantly picking fights he knew he would lose. Ending up in the prison infirmary several times. He had pushed Emily away until she couldn't stand it anymore and finally cut ties completely, leaving one small photo behind. He knew she made good on her threat about ending the life they could have shared. Angel had been checking in on her without her knowing. He had to have an awkward conversation with his brother 4 months later, around Christmas time. Angel had informed EZ "his güera was looking thin as ever." That night Ezekiel had turned towards the wall in his cell and silently cried so no one would see or hear him.

Since that meeting right before Christmas with his brother he had been somewhat taken in by the caged Mayans. Lifers from the MC who watched out for him even though he didn't wear a cut. It began as a favor to Angel, one Angel had asked Alvarez for. Soon they realized EZ was valuable though. They would send him to gather information about other crews. EZ would sit just far enough away from a meeting to not look suspicious but with his memory and skills for deduction he would come away with knowledge that helped the MC protect themselves and thrive inside. But EZ wasn't part of the MC. He would never be able to fully call them friends, he would never build the life most of these men had, until he got out.

EZ had come to realize that he wasn't destined for a fancy degree, or a job with a suit, he was destined for the MC. He now knew that what he wanted in life was so much more simple than he had originally planned. He wanted his family around him, he wanted to believe in something like the brotherhood of the MC, he wanted to love someone again, and he was more sure than ever that he wanted kids. The fiasco with Emily had made him absolutely positive about that.

As he sat across from his Pop now, he let himself invision having that life so much sooner than he had originally planned and smiled slightly.

"¿Crees que esto es un buen negocio?" He asked one last time.

"Creo que sí. Only if you protect yourself y tu familia."

EZ was still unsure, but he trusted his Pop. He had allowed himself to envision a future, something he had spent the last 7 years trying to avoid. He would have to be incredibly careful, one wrong move and everything would fall apart, but maybe, just maybe he could make it work and he could find something that made him happy along the way.

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

"What the fuck do you mean I have siblings?!" Leticia shouted at her mom.

She couldn't believe it, she just couldn't. Her eyes started to water involuntarily. How? How could she have family out there she didn't even know about? Celia never ever talked about them, had never even thought to mention them. Did they know about her? If they did would they have left her here with Celia? _'...Probably…'_

"Tu pequeña perra ingrata. I mean you have two older sisters and a…" Celia paused and smirked "...brother." she finished.

"What?! Where?! ¿Están en México?" Leticia rambled on. That was it they had to be across the border, that's why she didn't know them and they didn't know her.

"Juana your oldest sister is in México pero Verónica y Johnny are here in Santo Padre." Celia replied.

Leticia couldn't stop them any longer, large silent tears streamed down her face as she stared at her mother astonished. _'NO! NO! NO! They aren't here! They can't be here!'_ She screamed at herself.

"I'm giving you a choice Leti. You can keep working or you can get the fuck out of my house. Maybe you can go to one of them, but last I heard Verónica shared an apartment with 12 other people and Johnny was in prison so…"

"Do they know about me?" Leticia whispered

"I haven't spoken to Johnny in 16 years. I haven't even seen him around since he got out of jail, if he got out of jail. Pero tus hermanas know about you." Celia replied

' _So they do know…'_ Leticia thought maliciously. ' _They know about me, and they know about you, and I'm still here...sangre es sangre.'_ But maybe it wasn't. Afterall, her brother had no idea who she was, no idea she even existed. What if she could find him? What if he could take her away from this place?

' _But how do I find him?'_ She ran through her mind a hundred scenarios of how they could happen upon each other but she knew she would have to do it without Celia. If she asked Celia how to find him she would be out of the house immediately for sure. Celia was vindictive and jealous and as awful as she treated Leticia if she knew she wasn't the most important person in Leticia's life it would get worse. That Leticia was sure of. So the only thing she could think to do was ask Ronnie to send her to places and parties people roughly her brother's age would need girls.

"How old are they?" She asked Celia

"What?" Celia replied unconcerned.

"How old are they? My siblings? Are the much older? You didn't have to take care of them like you had to take care of me at the same time."

"Juana is 34. Verónica is 33 y Johnny is 32 now. They have been on their own a long time. None of them ever needed me to take care of them the way I must take care of you Leticia." Celia bit out.

If Leticia were being honest with herself this made sense. She had no idea how her mom had managed to not get knocked up until she was 33 in their line of work. It made much more sense to her that her mother in fact hadn't and instead had had 3 kids by the time she was 18. It continually astounded Leticia that she herself hadn't gotten pregnant yet and she was only 16. It didn't matter now though, she would worry about that if it happened. For now she had her answer. She needed Ronnie to send her to parties with a 30 something crowd.

"Well since it is so difficult to take care of me maybe I should be asking Ronnie for more work?" Leticia replied

Celia scoffed and turned to leave the room. "I'm sure you will enjoy yourself Leti." She sniped on her way out.

She wouldn't enjoy herself at all, in fact she hadn't felt joy since she was 9 and her old best friend got a kitten. But Leticia would do what she had to to get what she wanted, and what she wanted was to find someone that cared. Hopefully that would be her brother, but she wasn't holding her breath.

* * *

 **Translations:**

" _...Sangre es sangre...:" : "...Blood is blood…"_

" _...y lo que tu hermano ama." : "... and what your brother loves."_

"... _y tu primo es demasiado fresa.": "...and your cousin thinks he is so slick." (This is a rough translation demasiado fresa is like too stuck up, too good for, high and mighty.)_

" _¿Crees que esto es un buen negocio?": "You think this is a good deal?"_

" _Creo que si…": "I do…"_

" _Tu pequeña perra ingrata…": "You ungrateful little bitch…"_

 _¿Están en México?": "Are they in Mexico?"_


	3. Chapter 3-Blue

**A.N.: I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

It had been eight months and she hadn't gotten anywhere. She had spent weeks at a time away from home jumping from party to party, anywhere that needed entertainment, looking for some sign of Johnny. She even spent an entire month at the Indian Casino. They always had work for what Ronnie called the higher end pussy. Thankfully she fell into this category, parties and call clients were a lot less aggressive than the truckers her mom had to deal with regularly.

Either her brother was dead, still in jail, or had absolutely zero friends. She had literally asked everyone about him. Every girl she worked with and every John that seemed close to Johnny's age group and said they were from Santo Padre, but no one had any idea who Johnny Cruz was let alone where he was. Maybe it was a lost cause….

' _Maybe he got smart and got the fuck out of here…'_ she thought.

She had just gotten paid out by Ronnie for the weekend. She spent three days entertaining some business men from Mexico with her friend Mariana and they had made much more than either was expecting. Ronnie was happy with them, thus she had $350 extra dollars in her wallet and she was looking to spend it. She didn't really have money to blow on useless things usually so when she did instead of buying material things she spent money on making herself feel like a human being. She would get her hair cut, or her nails done, once she even got a massage. She pulled a white sundress from her closet that showed off her assets while still being classy. It was warm still even though it was January, she would only need a denim jacket to not catch a chill. She was thankful Celia hadn't thrown all her stuff out or changed the locks while she had been away.

She had nothing scheduled until tonight, Mondays were slow, so she thought spending a few hours getting her nails and toes done would be heavenly. She made sure to look presentable whenever she went into the nail salon she liked the best. It wasn't your average barrio salon. This was a white lady place, with cute little bath bombs, and gel polish. This was how she spent money indulgently. Pretending to be someone other people cared about in front of strangers even for just a few hours. She would enjoy looking the part until she had to slide back into skin tight jeans and a barely there crop top with trashy lingerie underneath.

 _"UGH! Why I have to look like a naca on my dates I will never understand..." She groused to herself._

Once she arrived she chose the most deluxe pedicure the salon offered. It was over an hour long, part of the fun was gossiping to all the güeras about her wonderful pretend life, and her wonderful pretend family while they reciprocated. She loved smiling at all the ladies sitting in chairs next to her while making comments on the discussions they were having among themselves.

By the time her toes had a pretty light blue polish painted on them she had made fast friends with a girl in her late 20's named Tina sitting two chairs down. Tina had inquired about Leticia's job and Leticia gave the same answer she always gave to white women.

"I work in PR!" She intoned with a smile. Leticia supposed in a way she did. Like in PR she managed an image that sold exactly what she wanted to the highest paying customer. She never specified that she really worked in personal relations not public relations but güeras never seemed to ask for more details.

"Oh that is so interesting. Have you ever done any work in LA? I have always wanted to go to LA but I've been stuck here since I was 18. I married my boyfriend right out of high school and he is a Marine. We landed here because it was cheaper than living in San Diego."

' _Hmm...she has been here a long time. I wonder if she knows Johnny?'_ Leticia thought of a way to bring it up naturally without setting off alarm bells.

"I have spent some time in LA. I am in San Diego now though. I actually came to Santo Padre because I'm looking for my brother. We lost touch a long time ago and I heard from a friend he lives here now. So I thought I would come over and check it out."

"Oh have you tried his work?" Tina commented absentmindedly.

"No, I actually have no idea where he works. It's crazy I know but literally the only things I know about him are that he is 32 and has lived in Santo Padre his whole life. We didn't grow up together but I've always wanted to know him. I thought now, with my aunt being so sick, would be the perfect time to reconnect."

Tina turned to her and cocked her head. "Oh, that is basically nothing to go on. Where are you even supposed to start?"

Leticia turned away and rolled her eyes before turning back and smiling broadly. "Honestly, I don't know. I've just been asking everyone I've met here if they know Johnny but that hasn't seemed to turn up any leads. I'm starting to think he has moved away, which is so sad. I was really hoping to find him before our aunt passes away. Johnny was always her favorite but when he went to live with his dad and we moved to San Diego our whole family lost touch with him."

' _What bullshit…'_ Leticia thought. _'Honestly, I should win an Oscar if I can make this güera believe I am anything but a naca from Santo Padre.'_

Tina's eyes shot to hers. She seemed surprised. "You said your brother's name is Johnny?"

"Yes, Johnny Cruz."

"Your brother is Coco Cruz?!" Tina's faced morphed into utter disgust.

"I'm sorry?" Leticia questioned.

 _'Who the fuck is Coco Cruz?'_ She thought to herself.

"Look Leti...can I call you Leti by the way?... I know exactly who your brother is and let me tell you, your family should be glad you lost touch so long ago. My husband served in the Marines with your brother, if he is your brother. I totally get that when you're in the sand and the heat boys will be boys yada yada yada but Coco is foul."

"Wait...you know Johnny...you're sure?" Leticia asked caught off guard. She was so surprised she completely let the Leti thing slide.

"Well I know of a Johnny Cruz hopefully you aren't related but now that I look at you, you do somewhat resemble each other, I can never really tell with Latins though. Anyway, your brother is a thug, like literally. In fact, I am pretty positive he is in a gang. The one time my husband had his Marine buddies over Coco spent the entire time talking about hookers, drugs and motorcycles. We never asked him over again."

' _You racist bitch...all latin people look alike?.'_

' _DO NOT slap her Leticia...don't, don't, don't do it. She could give you something else…'_

Jesus Christ she was talking herself down now. Maybe she was going crazy...fuck...maybe she already was a little bit.

She put on her best aghast face. "Oh no! Are you serious? He is in a gang? Maybe he needs more support and has hit a rough patch in life. Do you know how to get a hold of him?" Leticia pretended to crack her voice, as though she might cry.

"Oh honey, I don't think so. The motorcycle gang here isn't like your average street gang. I think you have to be really bad to end up in it. Either way I have no idea how to contact him and I doubt, after I forbid my husband from ever seeing him again, that my husband knows either."

"Girl! Girl you done. Your nail done." Leticia looked away from Tina to her nail tech and then down at her nails. The color matched that of a clear blue sky on a sunny day.

 _'Fitting…'_ She thought, _'I would find him out of the clear blue where I least expected to.'_

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

The day had finally come for EZ to be introduced to the MC. It had taken a few months to negotiate his release, it seemed getting KJ's boss to agree to conditions wasn't "part of the original plan... and he didn't like having to bend when he didn't think he had to..." or at least that's what KJ said. Then it had taken a few more months to convince his brother that the MC was his future.

There had been a lot of arguing over the matter…

' _The golden boy has finally come back down to earth?' 'What makes you think the MC could use a book nerd?' 'Nah man you need to get out of here and go to school.'_

EZ had answered all of these comments with the fact that he...

 _'Owed the MC...' 'The MC was the closest thing he had to family over the past 7 and a half years and he wanted to feel like he was a part of something.''He didn't want to be on the outside of life anymore, the outside of family.' 'He was smart but the lifers had used those smarts to their advantage and he knew he could do the same for the MC on the outside.'_

All these things were true at their root. He hadn't necessarily misled his brother...It had taken 11 weeks for his brother to finally agree to introduce him and 3 more weeks before the club had time to meet him. In that time he had asked Angel to fill him in on the brothers in the MC.

Bishop was at the head of the table. He was el presidente, he helped found the charter and he had the most sway. If Bishop said "jump", everyone else said "how high?". Then there was Taza the VP and another founding member of the charter. He had a bit of Mexican heritage but was almost all Apache and out of all the members was apparently the most ruthless with punishment. Tranq was the Sergeant at Arms he made sure the club was safe not only around the club house but concerning all the club's dealings. He was most likely looking into EZ with a fine tooth comb. Anyone interested in becoming a prospect would be vetted by Tranq. Riz was their secretary. He was in charge of all the record keeping for the club. This included licenses for both the repair shop outside the club house as well as the liquor license needed to sling the amount of alcohol inside the club house. Riz also had an on again off again thing with a Madam outside of town named Vicky. Vicky's house was apparently frequented often by the MC and in exchange for protection they were given free services. Of which Angel made it clear he wasn't allowed to indulge in until he was fully patched.

 _"No patch, you offer up the cash…"_ He recalled his brother laughing while informing him

Here Angel made a clear distinction, because while it seemed he respected the elder four the last officer of the MC... Angel clearly had issues with. EZ had a feeling it was leftover animosity from Creeper being offered the Road Captain title when Angel felt as though he himself were a better choice.

" _When I found out I was honestly like...¿Neta?... I didn't get it man. He is from LA and he don't even speak Spanish! Plus he is dumb as shit. He had only been there like a year and a half longer than me!"_ Angel said as he shrugged.

Angel was a big guy. He stood well over 6'3 and, while leaner than EZ, still looked imposing. EZ could see how being passed over for someone half your size, and not as smart would be insulting if the job was making sure everything went right on the road no matter what you encountered.

The last three members were the younger generation according to Angel. Gilly and Coco were both loyal to the MC. More than that, they were Angel's friends. Gilly had a thing for tech, if it was on the cloud he could find it. He was clearly being groomed to be the MC's intelligence officer and according the Angel he was the most quiet of the three.

" _Probably because Coco could talk enough for all three of us."_

Coco was an ex Marine sharpshooter. He was invaluable to the club for that skill alone. He was in line to take over for Tranq and in a manner of speaking knew more about weaponry than almost all the members combined. The only downside to Coco, according to Angel, was that the desert had melted his brain a little bit. Coco was a little crazy, he could fly off the handle at nothing, and moved a mile a minute which made other people anxious if they didn't know him.

" _Está loco, he will laugh at a joke one minute and flip a table over the next. He means well but the sand got him fucked up. I don't think he sleeps at night you know? Cause' of what he saw, so he just ain't all right in the head during the day."_

So today EZ felt prepared. He knew the plan and he knew what to expect from each player. Angel was going to pick him up and they were going to head over to a party on the east side at some girl's house before going to the after hours party at the clubhouse. He heard Angel pull onto the block.

 _'Damn I forgot how loud bikes could be!'_

There was honestly nothing better. The second he sat on his Softail after he got out of prison he thought bikes might be better than women. Maybe once he had experienced women again though he would change his mind. He shook his head to clear the thought as he stepped out onto the porch.

"¿Mira wey, estás listo?" Angel called to him from his bike. He clearly was trying to impress at this party. Dressed head to toe in black with steel toed boots and his Mayans cut.

 _'It looks like he spent an hour on his hair...'_

"Si estoy listo. Te seguiré." EZ called back as he strapped his helmet on.

Half an hour later, and EZ had been well and truly ditched. He walked into the house party with his brother, Angel asked him to find some beers, and when he came back Angel had completely disappeared. Clearly there was only one reason they came here and Angel was currently exploring that reason.

 _'Mercedes, Marisol...Monica...maldita sea, I can't remember.'_

He turned and headed towards an empty couch to wait his brother out.

 _'Another half hour...? He couldn't possibly take longer than that...? Jesus I better not be sitting her for two hours while Angel goes balls deep into random chocha...'_

Before he could think on it more though, an arm shot out through the crowd and grabbed a handful of his t-shirt as if to root him to where he was standing.

"Hey! The guy you came with...he is a Mayan?"

EZ turned towards the stranger grabbing him and had to look almost straight down. He followed a sharp set of sky blue nails, up a gaunt little arm, to a face he immediately knew to be much younger than the beer in her hands led on.

"Are you one too?...You see I'm looking for someone. Maybe you could tell him to get in touch with me?" She began rambling frantically.

Before Ezekiel even realized what was happening she had grabbed a pen from her bag and was writing her number on his forearm. She grabbed his hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world and brought it between both of hers.

"Seriously, mira this is important. Tell Coco, his baby sister is looking for him."

Ezekiel didn't have time to get one word out before a tall, rough looking Cholo with Dogwood Crew ink on his arms grabbed the girl by the shoulder.

"Leti you're done here. You have another client in 2 minutes, I already said to go meet him puta." With that he shoved her away from EZ and forced her down the hallway. Before she was shoved around the corner she turned back and looked EZ right in the eye. Her eyes said it all… Her eyes said "Please!"

* * *

 **Translations:**

" _...¿Neta?...": "...For Real?..."_

" _Está loco…": "He is crazy…"_

" _¿Mira wey, estás listo?": "Hey dude, you ready?"_

" _Si estoy listo. Te seguiré.": "Yeah I'm ready. I will follow you."_

 _...maldita sea...: ...fuck it..._


	4. Chapter 4- Sex with Strangers

**A.N.: We won't hear from Leticia for a few chapters. EZ has a few things he needs to get through on his own before she reappears. I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

It had been a shitty night. EZ thought he had been prepared for his introduction to the club, but he had been so off base it wasn't even funny. He knew exactly why it had gone so wrong too.

It didn't seem possible to him that someone so small could knock someone as large as him off balance, but she had. From the second she was shoved out of his sight he had tried to let her go, but something in his head kept spinning back to her.

….

….

He had ended up having to wait over an hour for Angel to saunter back into the crowded living room. During which time he had been offered 4 beers by random women all trying to "keep his mind off waiting…"

 _'If only I could... If I could keep my mind quiet...who knows where I would be?'_

Each woman that came up to him after her had been evaluated and compared in a single glance. He knew he absolutely shouldn't be doing that. She couldn't have been more than 17...but she looked like she had lived an entire lifetime. She had talked more with her eyes than her mouth and that had left EZ off kilter. She was wounded, mortally so, and he could see it, plain as day.

' _Leti, was her name…she is a person...call her by her name.' He admonished himself._

Two things were clear to EZ concerning Leti. One: she was a prostitute, and two: she was desperately trying to find someone.

 _'Her eyes had said that more than anything else.'_

She was desperate, begging, someone for help. EZ wondered if CoCo knew what his sister was doing. Maybe he did and had just given up on her. Maybe he had stopped answering her calls, and now she needed her brother and he wasn't there. Maybe she was the one that ditched CoCo?

' _How could anyone allow their sister to work for a dude like that though?'_

The guy that shoved her down the hallway was clearly her pimp. EZ thought he wasn't anything unmanageable, but he could see how someone Leti's size could find him intimidating at best, vicious at worst. Plus, he obviously wasn't afraid of manhandling her in public. He was staking a claim, that was easily recognizable.

 _'Fuck!'_

EZ hated men that treated women like property. That kind of shit drove him crazy.

By the time Angel returned EZ had worked himself into a place where he was ready to fight the next thing that pushed him the wrong way. He had all but yelled at the last girl to come over. He must have been more harsh with her than he realized because she moved away from him so quickly even Angel took notice on his way back in the room.

"¿Estás bien?" Angel cocked his head in confusion and motioned towards the fleeing girl.

"Yeah, look I had a weird interaction with CoCo's younger sister. I think she is trying to get him to help her with something but she said she couldn't get a hold of him." EZ tried to explain just as Angel's phone rang. He held up a finger, indicating to wait, and answered the phone.

"Bueno...yeah man we are on our way. No I haven't told him yet…" Angel laughed to whoever was on the other line while looking back over at EZ.

' _Told me what?'_

"Of course I had to stop over here man...Marisol is grade A."

' _Marisol! I fucking knew it…' EZ lamented. 'That was sloppy, you know to pay better attention to names.'_

"¡Claro que si! Estaremos ahí," Angel motioned for EZ to leave as he hung up the phone.

The fact that Angel seemed unbothered by what EZ had told him about CoCo and Leti worried EZ. As the exited the party he turned towards his brother, intending to bring it up again.

"Look bro, I have no idea who the girl you met was. I have NEVER met any of CoCo's family. The only time he ever mentions them is when he is remarking how fucked up they all are. It isn't our business EZ. You have bigger things to worry about than someone else's family drama. If you want into the club there are some things you are going to have to do tonight that I haven't told you about because I knew you would overthink them." Angel tried to steer him off the Coco topic.

"What do you mean?"

"Well for starters you are going to have to go into the cage tonight." Angel answered.

"The cage?"

"Yeah man, like octagon style death match… the cage… its 3 rounds, no gloves, winner draws the most blood or gets the K.O."

"I have to fight?" EZ hesitantly asked.

Angel cocked his head again and gave him a weird look. He wasn't scared of fighting. Jesus Christ he was 6'4 and 220 lbs. He was jacked to say the least, and prison had taught him how to fight with the sole purpose of damaging someone else. The problem was he wasn't sure he could moderate himself. Incapacitating an attacker had become so second nature, he was nervous he would shatter someone's jaw, or break someone's femur before he could stop himself.

"Angel are you sure that is a good idea?" EZ said while motioning to himself.

"¡Que chafa!...¡Órale! ¿Y tu desde cuando demasiado fresa?" Angel tried not to burst out laughing. "El piensa que es Floyd Mayweather…"

"Angel this isn't funny. I'm being serious. I fought a lot in prison. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Relax man. You realize almost everyone in the MC has been to state just like you, right? Besides, we call it if it gets too messy."

 _'Me lleva la chingada!'_

From there is had just gotten worse. They showed up at the clubhouse and EZ was introduced to each member. He was then invited in and shown to the bar where the MC proceeded to get him well and truly fucked up.

He didn't normally like getting drunk. He tended to lose his filter when drinking. He would start spewing random shit he had observed that most people didn't want to know. Like the fact that he knew they were cheating, or the fact that they had recently been fired, or were drinking too much. He couldn't stop from making observations and immediately repeating them out loud, instead of just filing them away. He supposed this was one of the things Angel had kept from him, knowing he would be apprehensive about engaging in drinking so much the first time he met people.

' _Oh well! Me despertaré con un pinche gran crudo.' EZ thought as he downed his 10th shot._

Then the fighting started. He watched the first match between his brother and some random hang-around. Angel beat the shit out of him in the first round but the guy got off a lucky punch that split the bridge of Angel's nose. Angel retaliated by kneeing the guy in the body and putting him down with a left hook. He raised his hands in victory, and smiled, blood dripping into his teeth.

EZ went next and they put him in the ring with Riz. While Riz was slightly smaller he was still sizable.

 _'It will be like fighting Angel.'_

EZ hesitated though. He didn't really trust himself in this situation, plus he was drunk and he didn't want to leave the wrong impression. Riz capitalized on the moment of indecision by sticking EZ right on the jaw. The punch wasn't meant to harm, it was just enough to wake him up and get him moving.

' _Fuck! How am I going to do this?...' He tried reasoning with himself. 'Go slow, let him hit you a few times, then put him down?' 'NO! Just box and dodge, go the full three rounds, least damage most blood…'_

The latter sounded like a better plan to him. So he did just that. He put his hands up and he just boxed. Nothing lethal, nothing fancy, nothing dangerous, just blocking, weaving, and landing a few nothing punches until Riz was tired. In the third round EZ delivered a solid punch right to the nose, knowing it would bleed heavily. It did. The round was called a few minutes later and minus the stream of blood leaking down Riz's face they both looked relatively unharmed. He smiled as he left the ring thinking it had gone pretty well.

Then CoCo had walked up to EZ and stuck him with a cheap shot to the side of the head.

"Yo! What the fuck man?!"

"You wanna prospect here ese? What happens when we are on a run and you won't hit someone full out because you're afraid of hurting them? Huh? You know what happens? You, or one of us gets fucking killed. ¡Muerto! Just like that, because you're too much of a pinche maricon!" Coco shouted before storming off.

' _Fuck, so that wasn't the right call…'_

Bishop moved to his side. "He is right you know? There is no room to be soft here, and while you thought you were being smart, you showed me your greatest weakness. Be careful not to show it to those who would use it against you."

He sighed before offering EZ his hand. EZ nodded in silent acceptance and shook it.

"Go clean up in the trailer by the auto shop entrance. You'll be living there if you decide to prospect so you may as well get used to it now."

EZ went to the trailer to clean his hands and face. He didn't even stop to look around once inside. He was hot from the cheap shot and needed a second to cool down. He angrily scrubbed at the blood on his hands and forearm before checking out his reflection. Nothing too bloody, just a small cut on the side of his mouth that was already scabbing and some swelling. He looked down to rinse his hands and realized he had scrubbed away half the number written on his arm earlier that night.

' _Leti…"_

He re-entered the clubhouse with the intention of mentioning his encounter to CoCo but when he stepped inside CoCo was nowhere to be found. Angel, standing next to Taza, motioned him back over to the bar and offered him another shot. Taza leaned over and pat EZ on the arm.

"Now my friend, to celebrate your win in the cage, and your decision to join us we got you a very special gift." Taza motioned behind EZ.

When he turned he came face to face with an exotic looking dark skinned woman in a strappy black corset. She stood maybe 5'8 and had long thin limbs. Her outfit drew all attention to her tits and tiny waist. She was hot, and she carried herself like she knew it. But then EZ looked into her eyes, and the first thing he thought of was a pair of hauntingly beautiful brown ones in place of the hazel ones currently staring back at him. He shook his head to clear that thought away. To everyone else it just looked like he couldn't believe how hot the woman before him was. She smirked thinking she had him eating out of the palm of her hand already.

"This is Naira…" Taza explained, "She helps the new recruits settle into the trailer. If you haven't been eaten alive by the morning then report here at 9 am to get your leather and your prospect patch."

"Welcome to the Mayans MC." Bishop intoned as EZ was dragged back to the trailer by his sleeve.

 _'Well shit! This escalated quickly...' He thought to himself._

EZ hadn't been with anyone since Emily seven and a half years ago. His brother thought he was insane for not immediately getting out and hitting up Vicky's. The truth was though that sex was different for him than most men...most people he supposed.

Of course he enjoyed it. Who the fuck wouldn't? But for someone like EZ...someone that processed things visually the way he did, someone that remembered everything all the time... sex was more like reading someone's soul than playing their body. There were things he could see there that other people either couldn't or didn't pay attention to.

Whether they admitted it or not, sex was different for women. They sought to find value in themselves through it and even the most practiced of whores had a little glimmer of hope when someone entered them. EZ hated that glimmer...the one that said "maybe this one can teach me how to love myself." 99% the time that definitely wasn't in the cards. So he had avoided sex since Emily because he couldn't stand to see that look and not be able to answer it. Right now love was impossible for him.

But this was the task...sex with a stranger...and while it was a gift from the club it was also a test. He knew these men were trying to find common ground. They loved fucking, and fighting, and family and motorcycles. In order to be one of them he had to act like one of them. There was no mistaking, this was a test. He may hate himself in the morning for using Naira this way. For now though he just had to go with it.

So, before she could make the first move EZ had gripped Naira by the back of the neck and pressed her face into the wall. He immediately moved behind her, fitting his body to hers, as he ran his hands down her arms. He would do this fast, and from behind so he couldn't see if she gave him that fucking devastating look.

Naira was surprised but pliant, willing, she didn't make too much noise but it was enough to know she was enjoying herself.

 _'She likes the unexpected...'_

He didn't bother with the corset, it was clearly there to be visually stimulating. Instead he hiked her barely there skirt over her hips with one hand while he opened his belt with the other.

 _'No panties, of course...' he smirked_

He popped the buttons on his jeans as he ran a hand around her right hip. He grabbed and pulled her ass back on him, grinding into her as he got hard. She moaned, as he reached forward and tested her with his hands. She definitely liked the unexpected. So much so that she was dripping all over his fingers.

 _'Perfect! More than ready.'_

He slipped a condom from his back pocket, ripped the foil with his teeth and slid it on. EZ leaned his forehead against her shoulder as he entered her, closing his eyes at the sensation of sinking back into that almost forgotten heat.

"Yes." She moaned near his ear.

He kept his eyes closed and imagined how he had taken Emily this way. Maybe if he thought of Emily he wouldn't feel so bad about using Naira. He began thrusting, deep quick forward stokes. He pulled out almost completely before sinking all the way back in.

 _'Definitely hitting the right spot.'_ he smirked to himself as Naira let out a particularly throaty moan. He needed more though and began thrusting into her in earnest. It was hard and dirty, making her tits bounce against the wall with each thrust.

"Ay Papi! Damelo duro."

EZ was nearing his end, it had been too long since he had done this. His thrusting got harder as he became erratic. Naira reached down to play with herself knowing he was too close to get her there without help. She was close too though, EZ could feel her starting to flutter around him.

 _'She really did like being surprised...'_

"Yes! Yes just like that." She screamed and reached back to pull his leg towards her body as she came. EZ opened his eyes right before he came. He looked down at her hand, grasping his thigh tightly, and for a split second, right before he shot his load into her, he saw her green nail polish flash sky blue.

… _._

… _._

So, yeah! It had been a shitty night concerning the club. But as he stepped out of the clubhouse doors, into the sun, he felt a sense of accomplishment. Maybe it was the weight of the leather hanging from his body, maybe it was the result of releasing some tension with Naira, or maybe it was the fact that while his forearm was now bare, he remembered every number that had been written there the night before.

* * *

 _ **Translations:**_

" _¿Estás bien?" : "You okay?"_

" _¡Claro que si! Estaremos ahí," : "Of course! We will be there."_

" _¡Que chafa!...¡Órale! ¿Y tu desde cuando demasiado fresa?"..."Él piensa que es Floyd Mayweather…" : "Damn!... Wow! Since when are you so high and mighty? He thinks he is Floyd Mayweather…_

 _"Me lleva la chingada!": "Well, fuck me!"_

" _Me despertaré con un pinche gran crudo": "I will wake up with a huge fucking hangover."_

" _¡Muerto!" : "Dead!"_

" _...pinche maricon.": "...fucking sissy."_

" _Ay Papi! Damelo duro." : "Yes daddy! Give it to be hard."_


	5. Chapter 5- A Memory in All White

**A.N.: Leticia still isn't back but EZ has some drama ahead. We will catch up with Leticia in the next chapter though.**

 **This is the first fic I have ever posted and I wanted to say thanks for the views so far. Considering this isn't a super popular universe for fics, and the fact that Itza y Popo has only been live for two days, I think 150ish views so far is pretty good. So thanks!**

 **Also... I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

It had been a few weeks since he was accepted as a prospect by the MC. He knew it would be at least a little while before he was trusted to attend to anything more than servicing bikes, and bring people beers, but damn if he wasn't bored!

He had spent most of the day cleaning the clubhouse and now he was out on a liquor and beer run for a party the MC was throwing tonight. They were finally letting him take the van out without Chucky, the guy with the freaky hands. Even freakier was the fact that apparently he had no fingers because he couldn't stop touching his dick.

' _So fuckin' weird. The guy is so vanilla looking too minus the hands.'_ Ez chuckled to himself.

As EZ pulled to a stop at the next light he noticed the white Mercedes SUV parked on the corner.

' _3IDW674…' H_ e remembered the plate. It was one of Galindo's vehicles.

Thus far, he only knew what the man looked like. He wasn't even allowed in the clubhouse when Galindo came for a meeting. He always wore a suit, and he always moved swiftly. He was an average size man, but he exuded a presence much larger. He was intimidating even to EZ.

The Mercedes had 2 of the 4 doors open as well as the trunk, and a short hispanic woman was bustling around, pulling a stroller out of the back and popping it into its correct shape. A bodyguard closed her door just as a thin blonde woman in sky high heels stepped out of the other open door. She clutched a baby to her chest, a boy, he looked to be about a year old. She bent down and rubbed her nose against his, making him giggle as she strapped him into his stroller. She looked up at the nanny and gave some kind of instruction before turning back to the car.

She noticed him then, recognition flashing in her eyes. Normally he would have quickly averted his eyes as to not seem like he was staring, but not this time. This time he stared openly, he made eye contact with her, and then the world slowed down. He saw her raise her arm in slow motion, giving him a single solitary wave. He thought his stomach was going to jump out of his throat.

She looked completely different now. Her body had changed, clearly from carrying a baby. She had more pronounced hips, and fuller breasts, but she looked thinner than he remembered. Her hair was a polar opposite of what it had been when he had known her. The long brunette locks had been sheared and colored into a platinum blonde layered shoulder length style. Her style seemed to have evolved too. He was used to seeing her in jeans and a t-shirt or a simple sundress. Now she wore all white with gold jewelry. She still obviously wore jeans but these were skin tight, tailored to fit her, cuffed perfectly, ending in red bottomed sky high black heels. Her appearance, paired with the car, screamed "I have money...look at me." Gone was any semblance of the girl he used to know, in her place was a stranger.

' _She looks like a fucking mob wife…what the fuck?'_

This **_was_** Emily but he couldn't recognize any part of her. Emily, carrying a baby around that clearly was a part of her, had come from her. Emily, with a ring the size of a golf ball around her finger. Emily, exiting a car he knew to belong to Galindo. She was Emily but she clearly wasn't his Emily anymore.

A car horn sounded behind him. The moment had passed. He blinked and looked away from her, pulling away from the light. He didn't look into the rear view mirror. He couldn't believe what he had just seen and he didn't want to be confronted with it again.

He opened the glove compartment and fished out his phone. His hand was starting to shake.

' _Fuck! I need to pull over.'_

He swerved to the side of the street and threw the van in park. He pushed the buttons on his phone as he unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt. He felt like he was choking.

The phone rang once before it was answered.

"Mira wey, you get the beer yet? I just pulled up to the clubhouse and I'm ready to let loose." The comforting voice of his brother sounded from the other side of the line.

"I said move on with your life... You have plans to be great... Go out and forget about me, this life will only hold you back. That's what I fucking said to her Angel...how the fuck...como podría ella!" EZ threw the van door open and began pacing up and down the sidewalk.

"Fuck…" Angel muttered.

"Angel how the fuck does "go be great" mean: MARRY A FUCKING CARTEL LEADER? Podrías haberme dicho jodidamente, Angel!"

Holy shit, he was glad no one was around. He was losing it, and he knew he shouldn't be acting this way in public.

"You saw Emily?" Angel inquired.

"Of course I saw Emily, Angel! Of course I did. How would I just miraculously never see her when our circles so closely mingle? Were you expecting I would just be oblivious forever. I would never realize the head of the organization the MC often works for also happens to be married to my ex?"

"No...fuck of course not Ezekiel. I just assumed you had gotten over this. You said you never wanted anything to do with her again, that she meant nothing anymore. You said you would never forgive her for what she did. I knew you would find out...I just figured it would be a little bit longer...I tried to find a time to bring it up. It just never really fit in anywhere you know?"

"No Angel I don't know! You should have fucking said something."

"¡Jesucristo! Está bien, tienes razón. Debería haberte dicho."

EZ sat back into the driver's seat and ran his hand through his short hair. Fuck he wasn't expecting this at all. He hadn't heard from Emily in 7 years. The last time she was even mentioned to him was on a call with Angel. He said "she had gone back to the University of San Diego thin as ever after her Christmas break." He had said it to reiterate the fact that she had actually followed through with her threat to end her pregnancy.

"Yeah...yeah you should have." EZ sighed.

His brother was silent on the other end of the phone. They didn't do conversations like this. They had always been competitive, jovial, bothersome even, and every once in a while a heavier emotion would creep in when they talked about their mom, but they never got too deep. Angel was clearly at a loss with how to respond.

"I will be back in 20 minutes. I just need to grab this stuff. Hasta entonces." He hung up before his brother could respond.

Okay, he could deal with this... He had accepted a long time ago Emily wasn't meant for him. They weren't meant for each other. The reality was, that she hadn't ever known EZ the man, and maybe they could have worked before but he was so changed from when he entered prison.

' _Apparently, she is just as changed.'_

The fact that they had changed didn't matter though. They didn't know each other anymore, 7 years was a long time. And while they had shared a long and complicated history, she had a life now, and EZ did as well. Or, at least he would once this whole business with the DEA was over with.

He would proceed as though this was a non-issue. _It was a non-issue...wasn't it?_ He would never have to interact with Emily, he worked for the MC, who worked for her husband. Maybe their circles wouldn't actually mingle at all.

He finished up his errand and began heading back. He didn't even look over at the Mercedes as he drove by it again. But as he passed the row of shops it was parked outside he realized she had been walking into a pediatrician's office. He fought desperately against the memory of that little black and white photo. The one that represented a life ripped away from him before he even realized it.

Though he hadn't thought on Emily much the last few years he was inside, he had thought about that little photo often. He had kept it for some masochistic reason. It seemed the more the little photo faded the more he took it out of his possessions to look it over.

He was the only one that didn't have children among the Mayans crew members inside Stockton State. Some members would reside in Stockton State for the rest of their lives but they received photos and letters without fail every week, and the way they would show them around... comparing the newest thing a child had done or accomplishment they had made...man it hit something inside him hard. He was jealous of those relationships. Jealous that he would never get those letters or photos or be able to share in accomplishments. It had made him long for something he couldn't quite comprehend. It had made him reevaluate his plans for once he got out.

That little black and white photo was the catalyst for realizing he was meant to be a family man. That little black and white photo was what made him sure that the brotherhood, the camaraderie, the culture of belonging was what he craved, what he would strive to have. But he wouldn't stop at just the MC, he would make those principles the center of his whole life. He would have his own family, and they would be his whole world, and he would always let them know what they meant to him. He looked forward to being that guy who overshared, with everyone, about all the things his children did, said, accomplished. That was his dream, and he would defend it until his end.

He could deal with having to see Emily from time to time. She wasn't his future anymore and he wasn't going to let her presence derail him from reaching his dream.

* * *

 **Translations:**

"...como podría ella!" : "...how could she!"

'...Podrías haberme dicho jodidamente, Angel!" : "...You should have fucking told me, Angel!"

"¡Jesucristo! Está bien, tienes razón. Debería haberte dicho." : "Jesus Christ! You're right I should have told you."

"...Hasta entonces.": "...See you then."


	6. Chapter 6- Cutoffs and Text Messages

**A.N.: EZ's 26th birthday is coming up. Leave some love to help him celebrate.**

 **On another note, I have been so excited about what I have planned for this story that this week when I got my nails done I opted for a sky blue! Oh… and...I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

 _ **Two months later...**_

She was starving! Like her stomach was eating itself starving. It was 4 in the morning and she hadn't eaten since breakfast yesterday.

' _Oh my god...I would kill someone with a spoon for some tamales!'_

Coming home this late, or early depending on how you looked at it, was always risky. If Celia was home it would be fine, no one would even come check if it was her. Typically Celia and Alberto would get lit up and pass out together around 2 and be dead to the world until noon the next day. If Celia wasn't home and Alberto was... that was a little trickier. He had been getting a little too close for comfort lately and Leticia preferred to steer clear of him. Typically she would stay with a friend if it got to be this late but she was out of clothes and in desperate need of some food and a shower with her own products. If he was home alone it was because he had work in the morning and Celia was entertaining for the night.

' _I could always come back after six…' She thought as her stomach growled loudly._

Alberto went to work at 6 am, he was in construction. She could always come back but she had nowhere to go until then, everyone was asleep, which meant she would just have to hang around her sketchy apartment building for two hours in the dead of night. She was in a dangerous line of work but that didn't mean she wanted to tempt fate by doing something stupid.

She stood outside the door trying to decide to stay or go. She could just check if he was there, then she could make a decision... She turned the key as quietly as she could and lifted slightly on the door handle so the door wouldn't creak as it swung open. She looked down beside the mat and didn't see any work boots.

' _Yes! He isn't here.'_

She stepped inside and slipped her shoes off, before draping her coat on one of the chairs. The apartment was dark, Celia's purse was gone from the kitchen table where she normally kept it. Even better! A totally empty apartment meant there would hopefully be no hassle on the way back out as long as she was in and out as quickly as possible.

She went over to the washer and up ended her backpack, the faster she could finish washing clothes the faster she could get out of there. She striped down and tossed what she had been wearing in as well before starting the washer.

' _Might as well get everything done all at once.'_

She went straight to the bathroom and turned the shower on, it always took a few minutes for the water to warm, then continued down the hall to her room to grab some sweats and a tank. She grabbed what she needed and turned to go back to the bathroom, pausing to look at her body in the full length mirror hanging on her wall.

Yesterday had been rough. She really needed to stop seeing Saldivar. He had been one of her regulars for almost a year but he was always too rough, and always wanted extra time. He paid well but it was getting to be too much for Leticia. Plus, he had been getting more heavy handed, and she tended to cut and run when they started figuring out they liked hurting people more than feeling good.

As she stared at her body now she could tell she needed to start taking better care of herself. Her ribs and shoulders were more pronounced, her hair was dull, and her eyes looked hallow. She had four purple bruises lining her right hip and she knew there would be a fifth on her back. Occasionally she would get so caught up with someone she wouldn't notice them bruising her, but Saldivar, he liked to bruise you when you weren't distracted. His favorite thing to do recently was to pause mid fuck, grab somewhere fleshy and squeeze until it hurt so bad she would try and move away, and only then would he let go and start fucking her again. It was fuckin' weird and not worth the extra hundred bucks he threw her way when they were finished.

She scanned the rest of her body for damage and found nothing.

' _Not as bad as last time I suppose…maybe my tits looking smaller worked in my favor?' she shrugged 'Fuck, I need to eat more, I'm losing my boobs!'_

Returning to the bathroom, she let her pony tail down. She would need to cut her hair soon, it was starting to reach past her butt and if it got any longer she would be sitting on it. Her hair grew so fast. She liked to keep it long but it usually only took her six months to get it from her waist to where it was now. Maybe she would use the extra hundred dollars and go get it done tomorrow?

Stepping inside the shower she immediately reached for her favorite soap. A sweet old woman on the first floor made it with sandalwood and patchouli. It honestly smelled like "man soap" but there was something very comforting about it. As she finished lathering her body she began running through what she would do tomorrow in her head.

' _I need to eat... like now...but tomorrow I can get my hair done probably before Jenn wakes up. I need to call her about that guy she was telling me about…'_

Apparently, her friend Jenn knew some guy that had opened a porn studio and was looking for the higher class girls to do some work for him. Jenn had told her it paid well, and the guys she would have to be in scenes with were all attractive, which would be a step up from what she was used to.

' _Okay then I can run and grab some groceries before I head over to Marisol's place.'_

She had asked her friend Marisol if she could crash over for a week or so...it was easy to get in touch with Ronnie for her schedule when she was over there because Marisol was Ronnie's niece.

' _It must be nice actually having family who wants to be around you…even if it included Ronnie...' Leticia thought bitterly._

Her search for her brother was still stagnant. She thought for sure the guy she had talked to at Marisol's birthday party had been a part of the MC or at least connected somehow. The guy he had come in with definitely had been, but he had immediately disappeared upstairs while she was busy with someone, and then she got carted off before he ever came back. She had waited weeks for a call but it never came. She had to have been wrong and the man she had scrawled her number across probably thought she was insane. She had literally talked so fast at him it would have been no surprise if he hadn't understood her at all. In fact, maybe he didn't speak any English and her talking fast wasn't even the biggest issue.

While she'd been waiting she'd figured out some more information about the motorcycle club her brother belonged to. From what she'd heard most of the guys in the MC were mechanics by day, but really supplied the drugs for most of the crews dealing on the streets. This close to the border though meant:

 _'there probably wasn't as long of a chain for the drugs to go through before they reached the street.'_

Which meant the MC probably worked either directly for the cartel or for the people getting the drugs from Mexico to the US.

So... her brother was probably a drug dealer and probably involved with scarier people than she dealt with daily, which was saying something.

' _Are you really a drug dealer if you deal to dealers though...?'_ She didn't know.

She turned the water off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her hair before patting down her body with another. She threw on her sweats and her tank and went straight to the refrigerator.

' _Beer...beer...and more beer… awesome... so I guess peanut butter and tortillas again.'_

She ate quickly, switched her clothes from the washer to the dryer, and went back to her room. She had had a long day and it was starting to hit her. She needed sleep but she wanted to leave as early as possible. Hopefully she would be able to get out as easily as she was able to get in.

She packed her backpack full of stuff for the coming week and laid out cutoffs and a pretty cream colored off the shoulder top for tomorrow. March had brought really warm weather back to Santo Padre.

' _Thank God...I was starting to lose my color!'_

She had a feeling tomorrow would be a good day and as her head hit the pillow she couldn't help but hope that maybe her luck might change just as the season had.

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

EZ was fucked up. Like, truly past the point of drunk and functional. He had left his party to use the bathroom, but instead of going back he had wandered into his trailer with the intention of passing out. As he lay there though he couldn't get his mind to stop buzzing.

He had turned 26 today and he was finding it hard to be as excited about it as everyone around him. His brother and the whole MC had thrown him a wild party with liquor, and women, and music, there had even been some guy tattooing. He hadn't gotten any new ink but his brother had definitely tried to convince him. As he had laughed and drank and looked to be enjoying himself, he was really wishing he could go back to being 18. He wished he could have some of the time he had missed back. The truth was his birthday was just a reminder that he was getting older and still hadn't accomplished anything he wanted to.

' _I probably won't any time soon either…' he thought bitterly_

He had dropped off the first bits of information he could about the MC's dealings with Galindo to his Pop that afternoon. KJ was supposed to pick it up from the butcher shop and review it. He had no doubt there would be a problem with what he had passed along. There wasn't much of anything in there. He had graduated from being exiled every time Galindo was around but he still wasn't being included on runs yet. He hadn't figured out how the drugs were getting into the MC's hands, or how it was being transported after that. He was expecting KJ to be pissed. He was pissed too. The sooner he was done with what KJ needed the sooner he could actually start living his life.

Speaking of living his life...fuck he needed to find someone to regularly hook up with. A friends with benefits deal was the best he could do until he knew he could offer someone else stability but man...did that need to happen soon.

He hadn't been with anyone since Naira and he was starting to go a little crazy since he had been reintroduced to women. Just today on his way back from his Pop's store he had driven by some petite woman in a modest looking white top but indecent looking cutoffs and he had been hard for an hour afterwards. Jesus, the legs on her were incredible and it had taken him 20 minutes to stop thinking about them wrapped around his waist. He had only seen her from behind but she had a waterfall of long black hair, a tight little ass, and mile long legs, and that had been enough to get his dick ready to stab someone. Even thinking about her now had his jeans becoming uncomfortably tight. She had reminded him of someone but he couldn't put his finger on it.

The noise from the clubhouse was starting to die down. Maybe he should text Angel and ask if they needed anything before he passed out. He had been making strides in the MC and he didn't want to do anything to fuck it up. He fished his phone out of the front pocket of his jeans and scrolled through the contacts. Instead of clicking on Angel though he kept scrolling, until he reached a name he had never called. EZ wasn't even sure why he saved her number. He didn't know her, and he hadn't ever told her brother what had happened, but for some reason he had held on to her. When he had entered the number into his phone he had told himself he was just making sure he didn't forget it for when he saw Coco next and told him what happened. But then he had seen Coco and they had been too busy. They were always busy... and after not telling him once, it turned into twice, and by then he just figured he would let it go. She had probably gotten a hold of him by then. Why had he kept it save after that though?

' _...does there have to be a reason? Maybe I just want to feel like she is there?' he threw his hand over his eyes as he thought about her._

He didn't even know Leti but she had been turning his world upside down any time he had a quiet moment alone. She looked so young, and fragile but her eyes said she had experienced more than most people had in a lifetime, and the fire there...It was like she had the fight of someone twice her size.

The more he thought about her the more he had focused on that fire. It was what kept bringing her back up in his mind. The only real relationship he had ever had was with Emily and the more he had thought about her the more he had realized she didn't have that same fire. She had given up on them without much fight at all, even though there was more than just them to think about at the time. She had given up on him, on them together, on that innocent baby, on the possibility of a family. Maybe that was why Leti kept popping up. She was the opposite of Emily and he knew he never wanted what he had with Emily again.

His phone buzzed from beside him. For one moment he wished it was her. That he could just spend the rest of the night texting a woman. It sounded so fucking normal. But it wasn't her, she didn't even know his name, let alone have his number. He reached over to check it. It was his brother.

"Estás en la próxima carrera. Reunirse aquí antes de las diez de la mañana." It read.

He was on the next run, he was moving up in his involvement with the MC, and somehow he knew his whole world was about to change.

' _Here's to 26…'_ He thought before flipping off the light next to his bed.

* * *

 _ **Translations:**_

" _Estás en la próxima carrera. Reunirse aquí antes de las diez de la mañana." : "You're on the next run. Meet here before ten in the morning."_


	7. Chapter 7- A Job Gone Bad

**A.N.: Whoa! Over 300 views...guys! You're the best! This chapter we pick up canon. Which means, EZ and Leticia don't have long before their paths cross again. Oh… and...I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

It was pretty ingenious actually, the way they moved the drugs. Sewn into the lining of quince dresses, always in a vehicle no larger than a moving truck. They could transport across the US without stopping at weigh stations. A smaller truck meant more protection though. You could run a moving truck off the road a lot easier than a semi. This run would be to Vegas. It was about a 5 hour drive without stops, through a mostly uninhabited desert. The likelihood of being stopped was low particularly at night.

"You sure you good with this?" His brother asked again.

"Yeah, no hay bronca...whatever the club needs…" He replied quickly.

He was more than ready to start being trusted with more responsibility. Plus this was low risk, his brother really didn't need to ask. EZ thought Angel was still a little apprehensive about him becoming a part of Angel's world. It was like his brother didn't fully trust that EZ wasn't about to disappear into some "golden boy rehabilitates his life and gets a degree" fantasy.

"Bien. Meet back here after your shift, podemos ir a la fábrica juntos."

His shift was the usual shit. Just another day of dealing with freaky ass Chucky. He'd been here for three months and the dude's fingers still kinda creeped him out. He was good at keeping the books though and cleaning money which is what the MC needed. None of the younger guys were in the shop today which meant EZ would do most of the work alone unless a custom job came in that interested Bishop or Taza. He was working on a rebuild of a 2002 Twin-Cam at the moment. The owner had let its engine issues go on too long until everything had needed to be replaced, cams, pistons, crankshaft. It wasn't particularly difficult for him but it took him most of the day.

By the time they closed up he was ready to get on the road. Being closed up all day in the shop sometimes reminded him of prison. It was something he could usually deal with by taking a break and getting out on the road, or walking to grab lunch. He was definitely starting to feel cagey. He quickly took a shower and changed into something a little warmer. The temperatures dropped quickly in the desert once the sun went down, even as the days grew hotter.

"Mira wey. ¿Estás listo?" His brother called as he opened the trailer door.

"Yeah." He replied as he slipped his jacket on and grabbed his leather off the table.

By the time they arrived at the factory Riz was just locking up. Gilly was already in the back of the truck and CoCo was handing him two AR 15's. He climbed up and shot them a smirk as he closed the cargo door. Bishop made his way over to let EZ and Angel know the plan.

"We will ride ahead. You and EZ follow behind the truck. Keep your eyes open. I don't want any fuckin' problems tonight." He instructed Angel.

Both brothers nodded and kicked their engines back on.

The first hour went fine. Creeper drove with Riz in the passenger seat of the truck, CoCo and Gilly were interior protection, the three senior officers led the route, and Angel and EZ brought up the back. After they had gone through Glamis though, things had turned to shit quickly.

The trucks behind them had swerved around putting distance between them and the cargo. One was used to cut them off from helping, as the other began to bump the side of the rear wheels of the cargo truck trying to get it to spin out. They didn't realize that the bus in front of the truck was involved as well. It had eliminated Creeper's ability to see, and with no way to navigate while being forced off the road he had banked right too hard and hit a berm. The truck had gone flying and flipped clear over before either of them knew what was going on.

The hit crew moved fast. Before Angel and EZ could catch up or the senior members could turn around the crew had already forced their way into the cargo cab and pulled Gilly and Coco out at gunpoint. Riz was stuck in the passenger seat unable to get his seat belt off and Creeper had pushed his way out, and like an idiot with no backup or cover had started shooting. This crew had come prepared and they were all carrying automatic weapons. The dumbass had found himself on the floor bleeding before he had even fired a second shot.

By the time the 5 remaining members of the MC had arrived the gunshots had rung out.

"Madre de Dios!" Angel shouted as he pulled his gun and started running. Bishop, Taza and Tranq were right behind. EZ really hadn't thought he would have to use the gun he'd been carrying tonight, but he took it out as he followed his brother.

They all got over the berm as one and Bishop immediately took aim. EZ assessed the situation while the arguing began. Riz was still trapped in the truck which was currently on fire. Obviously during the short shoot out a stray bullet had hit the gas line underneath the truck and while the flame was small now, EZ knew it would get out of control quickly. CoCo had a gun to his head and Gilly had one down his throat. This was bad!

"Now! Knees! Knees!" The guy in charge screamed. "I'll blow his head off!" He threatened while keeping his gun in Gilly's mouth.

Bishop lowered first and the other four immediately followed. Angel dropping quickly to his knees. EZ dropped his gun and raised his hands in the air.

"Let's go! Move it!" The leader directed to the rest of the crew. They all jumped into action. One member kicking the lowered weapons away from the MC, while three others began loading the dresses into their vehicles.

This was a disaster. EZ turned and got a good look at the leader pointing his gun at Gilly. They all had on the same skeleton ski masks, all wearing black. As the leader jerked his gun around though his sleeve road up slightly and EZ could clearly make out a crew affiliation tattoo.

' _BTT_ ' He filed it away for when they would decide how to respond to this crew jacking them.

Just as the last of the dresses were pulled from the truck the flames popped and rose a little higher. Fuck! They only had a few minutes until the whole thing would blow and Riz still hadn't freed himself from the passenger side. The hit crew backed out with Gilly, throwing him to the dirt and shooting out the tires on every parked bike as they slammed their doors and sped away. Bishop and Tranq ran to fire shots at the back of the vehicles but nothing made contact.

EZ was the only one left by the wreckage and turned back quickly as he heard Creeper call out for Riz.

"Shit!" He yelled as he ran to the front of the truck. The glass had been kicked out so it wasn't hard to slide himself in the gap.

"I got you brother." He assured Riz as he began sawing at the seat belt with a switch blade he kept in his cut. The smoke was thick, as he pushed Riz out of the windshield. Angel and Tranq were there waiting to help pull him out and away from the wreckage. EZ slide back out of the gap the windshield made and saw CoCo dragging Creeper out of the way as well. They had barely cleared the truck when the gas tank finally ignited and the whole front end blew out.

Taza whipped out his phone and dialed Chucky, while Bishop walked further down the road and placed a call of his own. EZ watched as he ran a hand through his hair and kicked a rock into the street. Bishop was probably making a call to the boss to tell him they had been jacked, or to Alvarez to ask him to break the news. Either way, Galindo would know they had lost the Vegas shipment probably within minutes.

"Me lleva la chingada! ¡Esto es malo!" Tranq cursed next to him.

It took Chucky an hour and 15 minutes to get to them with flatbed, to load all the bikes onto. He was smart and had backed the van onto it so they would all be able to get home as well. Bishop drove and instead turning towards the clubhouse once they got back to Santo Padre he turned towards the factory. Once they arrived he threw the driver's side door open and stormed inside without saying anything. Everyone else followed silently behind, EZ bringing up the back.

When they entered the factory EZ saw Galindo behind a desk, head down looking at fabric samples.

"So….who was it?" he intoned calmly

"Don't know, but they were pros" Bishop responded

Galindo closed the book and nodded "Well… at least we didn't lose 2.4 million in product to a bunch of amateurs." He finally said.

"They ambushed us sir. They came out of nowhere!" Creeper groaned out as he sat bleeding across the room.

"Did we change route? Vehicle? Time of Day? Every run is different. So, they came out of somewhere, and someone gave them the details." Galindo stepped to Creeper menacingly.

"No one from my club." Bishop responded quickly.

"Meaning I'm the one foolish enough to employ a traitor?" Galindo turned back to Bishop and smiled.

This was escalating too quickly, EZ knew it would end badly if they began blaming each other.

"The guy holding Gilly was dark skinned. Ink on his arm. It looked like...uhh...tribal letters. BTT." EZ looked up to everyone staring at him.

"He remembers shit." Angel shrugged and turned back to explain to the others. "But we had guns to our heads. Who knows what the hell he saw."

"The prospect?" Galindo asked.

"BTT...Base Town Tribe. Samoan gang out of San Bernadino. Didn't some of them do time killin' Haji?" Bishop asked CoCo.

"Fallujah, Bravo company and crazy as fuck!" CoCo responded.

"Tribe moves a little weed and pussy but this doesn't make sense. They gotta be hired guns." Taza pointed out.

"Yes, but for whom?" Galindo returned. "Bring me their shot caller. We will get the truth."

Bishop let out a mirthless laugh. "We're not your muscle. Your mercs can track down the Samoan."

"Your job was to protect my shipment...You failed to do that… Now the Chinese are out 12 keys." Galindo explained.

"Running protection for other buyers was never our deal. We told Alvarez we would cover you, until you had the manpower north of the fence. The only fuckin' reason we're doing it is to help you out." Bishop angrily responded.

"No…" Galindo moved within 6 inches of Bishop. "The only fucking reason you are doing it is because I pay you a lot of money. Now you, and your club are responsible for the loss. That's the way it works el presidente. Las reglas del negocio. So, if there is not a fourth right Samoan in my church pew by end of day tomorrow I'm afraid there will have to be a Mayan in his place."

After Galindo left Bishop paced, then turned to leave walking past EZ. Before he even saw it coming Bishop swung around and dropped EZ with a punch to the jaw.

"You don't speak unless we tell you to. I don't give a shit what you remember. Educate your prospect." Bishop warned to Angel. He turned again and left.

This wasn't good. EZ knew that the more intertwined the MC became with Galindo the harder it would be to keep them safe from KJ and the DEA. Plus, what the fuck good was he if he wasn't supposed to use his mind as an advantage. Maybe Angel hadn't explained to the MC just what he could really do. Inside it had taken a while for the lifers to really realize how valuable it could be too. Either way, he would have to worry about how to protect Angel and the MC later. For now he needed to worry about tracking down a Samoan. He had no doubt this was going to end in the club dropping bodies, and he needed to make sure he was prepared for that when it came. This was the moment he was really in or out, hopefully he wouldn't regret jumping in with both feet.

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

" **CUT!** " Luis yelled from behind the camcorder.

' _Fuck! What now?!' she rolled her eyes._

"Leti that's great but you have to make more noise, like you really fuckin' like it and you're about to pass out it's so good." He instructed her. "Dámelo en ingles, por favor."

' _Is this guy serious? I'm making way too much noise as it is. I sound like a fucking cat dying in the street.'_

"Alright… and **ACTION**."

Porn was actually a lot more difficult than she had been expecting. First of all, it took fucking forever. This angle needed to be right... that angle was just a tad too far to the left... the legs needed to be open to an odd degree... you needed to look like you were enjoying yourself but really needed to be thinking about exactly how someone across from you could see everything best. Plus, you went through so much fucking lube because of the constant stopping and starting. It wasn't sexy and there was no way you could get into it over and over again after having to cut everything short.

All in all, it wasn't bad though. The guy she was shooting with was hot and he never grabbed too tight, or tried anything off script. He was there for the money too, not to use her. Once this scene was finished she was done for the day. She would only shoot occasionally with the studio because they needed to see if her videos tested well on the site before they brought her in more frequently. That was fine by her. She had decided to do this without telling Ronnie. She had found the work on her own, and she didn't think she needed to pay him for nothing. It would be nice to have a little extra money laying around for her to use or save.

' _Not in the eyes, not in the eyes, aim dude.'_ she thought as they finished the very last shot.

Thankfully he had done this before and it all ended up on her lower face and chest. She smiled as Luis called a wrap. She stood and wandered down the hall to the showers available for performers. She cleaned up quickly and reapplied her eyeliner and mascara. She needed to hurry up and cash out because she needed to meet up with a few clients that night. She strolled back down to the office and waited until Luis was done cashing out Alejandro before going in.

"It was good today Leti." He said while handing her an envelope, dismissing her.

She opened it just to make sure they were square and she was glad she did.

"This is only $250. We agreed on $400."

"You said you weren't down for some things. The rate is lower." He replied.

' _Is this guy fuckin' kidding, does he think I was born yesterday?'_

"I said I wasn't into anal. You pay $500 for that. I know because Jenn and I are friends remember. You said $400 for a full day when I said no anal."

"Me vale madre, take the $250 or leave it. Your call puta." He snapped

Fucking hell. Normally in this situation she would just threaten someone with getting the shit beat out of them by Ronnie but Ronnie didn't know she was here. How the fuck could she handle this on her own?

' _What can I threaten this guy with that will work?'_

"Mira...¿Conoces el club de motos? My brother is a Mayan, I don't want to have to call him down here but I fucking will if I have to."

"Vete a su chingada madre. You're fuckin' lying little girl."

"Really? I'm sure Johnny would just love having to come down here to deal with you."

"Johnny?"

"Sí. You probably know him as CoCo…"

"Your brother is CoCo Cruz? Chingada Madre! No manches! Look, I don't want any trouble." He quickly replied before giving her another $200. "Look, it was great having you Leti but we can't work you anymore. Tu hermano es un asustadizo hijo de perra. Let's just call it even?" He rushed out as he shoved her out of the office and shut the door in her face.

' _What the fuck?!'_

Just how scary was her brother? Jesus that worked way more quickly and way better than she thought it would. She shrugged as she fished out her wallet and folded all the cash in. Shit...if her brother really was that scary maybe it wouldn't be an issue getting out from under Ronnie. She could go to work as like a fucking normal check out girl at a grocery store or something. Maybe she could go to school and learn how to cut hair!

' _Don't get so far ahead of yourself bitch. You haven't ever even met your brother…'_

She needed to figure out how to make that happen. She still hadn't met anyone that knew much more about her brother than that he was in the MC, and the MC were scary. She needed to find an in somehow but didn't know just how yet. She would think about it later, she needed to get across town, she was already running late for her next client and she didn't need Ronnie asking questions about where she was coming from.

* * *

 _ **Translations:**_

" _...no hay bronca…": "...no problem…"_

" _...podemos ir a la fábrica juntos.": "...we can go to the factory together."_

" _Mira wey. ¿Estás listo?": " Hey dude. You ready?"_

" _Madre de Dios!": " Mother of God!"_

" _Me lleva la chingada! ¡Esto es malo!": "Well, fuck me! This is bad!"_

" _...Las reglas del negocio…." : "...The rules of business…"_

" _Dámelo en ingles, por favor.": "Give it to me in English, please."_

" _Me vale madre…": "I don't give a shit…"_

" _Mira...¿Conoces el club de motos?: "Look...Do you know the motorcycle club?"_

" _Vete a su chingada madre…": "Get the fuck outta here…"_

" _Chingada Madre! No manches!": "Mother fucker! For Real?"_

" _Tu hermano es un asustadizo hijo de perra." : "Your brother is a scary son of a bitch."_


	8. Chapter 8- Who is the Devil?

**A.N.: I've been churning out chapters so quickly lately. I've really been on a roll with inspiration. As chapters begin getting longer start expecting them to be a tad further apart. I'm a SAHM so I work on Itza y Popo while the little is napping. Hopefully, teething won't throw a wrench in my ability to edit and post quickly.**

 **I'm inserting a trigger warning for what Leticia has going on in this chapter. It is violent, and terrible. I want to hug her just thinking about it.**

 **As always: I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

This was the heaviest mother fucker in the entire fucking world. EZ felt like he had been lifting this 400 lbs meat sack all fuckin' day. This whole situation was fucked up. Angel, Gilly and CoCo clearly had something going on that the MC didn't know about, but they hadn't bothered to let him in on it.

Worse, he had a feeling he was trying to put out an inferno with a water gun. He hadn't told KJ anything but what he absolutely had to concerning the club losing a shipment, and Los Olvidados being responsible. To which KJ had threatened the entirety of his deal, and thus his life if he had to go back inside. He was simultaneously trying to bring down Galindo and cover for Angel. Which he knew, may now be much harder considering Angel seemed to be a major player in the evolving game.

There were too many things coming together for it to be a coincidence. The girl at the bar coming with that patchwork bag, then Gilly leaving with it, and then the same bag ending up in a Samoan truck. You didn't need to be a fucking genius, or have a photographic memory. That shit was just sloppy. Why would Angel have anything to do with the Samoan's jacking the MC's shipment though? He had no idea what the fuck his brother had gotten into.

' _Hijo de perra! This mierda de grasa is fucking heavy.'_

They were on their way to bury this armless fuck in the desert. He had hefted him all the way out of the basement of the factory and then carted him through the tunnels to the other side of the fence. EZ was a big dude, but shit... this was like Olympic level weight lifting.

The truck came to a stop and EZ went to unload the body from the back.

"Just come with us." Angel said as he, CoCo and Guilly started over the rockface.

' _What the fuck is going on?'_

He heard them then. Calls from every direction, whistles, chirps, howls, alerting whoever was where they were going that they were coming. When they broke above the rockface, ahead in the clearing, lay a makeshift campsite. A collection of structures inhabited by what looked like children all younger than teens. They began working their way closer and EZ could see them clearly, they all wore animal masks, and they all held automatic weapons.

' _Holy shit. What the fuck did Angel get himself into?'_

That was when she broke through the crowd of children. She looked young herself, maybe 19 or 20. She was beautiful and had two hummingbirds tattooed across her neck.

"Está bien. Mi hermano...mi sangre." Angel assured her as she looked to him for clarification.

"You may call me Adelita." She murmured as she turned back to EZ.

"EZ….Ezekiel." He responded in introduction while eyeing his brother questioningly.

"It's good to meet you Ezekiel. Thank you for your help." She turned to walk back into the structure she was living in.

"Do you have our package?" She motioned to the bag Gilly had thrown over his shoulder. He handed it over so she could inspect the contents.

EZ remained behind the others but watched everything closely. He had been wondering what was in that bag all night. He had even asked earlier but Gilly had just ignored him. She unzipped it and began taking things out.

' _So, Angel was responsible for this whole fucking thing!'_

He watched as Adelita removed several keys of the stolen heroine from the backpack. EZ was livid.

' _Fuck! Are they all there? All 12 of them?'_

Angel answered his unspoken question right after.

"It all there… all 12 keys. Galindo figured out it was the Samoans. Got them to talk. He knows it was Los Olvidados. I'm sorry...it just unraveled. We couldn't shut it down." He seemed genuinely apologetic about it.

' _She means something to him…_ ' EZ recognized quickly.

"We knew that was a risk." She responded.

CoCo lit his cigarette and turned to Adelita, his training for strategy coming back to him.

"He knows you're at the border, and they'll flip over every rock on both sides of the fence. You should head south. Wait it out in the mountains."

"El diablo ya no lo espanta." She muttered as she whispered something to a little girl to her left. The child quickly began texting someone. Clearly an order had been given.

"Adelita, you have kids here!" Angel tried to reason with her.

"Todos hemos sentido la salvaje de mano de Cartel. We know the terror of watching our families slaughtered or how they vanish. Ahora...Miguel Galindo conocer hace dolor. He will know that fear."

' _Did she mean killing or abducting though?'_

EZ recognized what she said for exactly what it was...a threat against the Galindo family. Emily or the child, maybe both. He had no idea what the fuck was going on here, but he wasn't okay with being complicit in the murder of innocents.

"How does murdering innocent women and children make you better than the Cartel?"

"No soy el diablo, Ezekiel." was all she responded with.

Emily wasn't his problem anymore but that didn't mean he would ever wish her ill. They had a history and even though he couldn't ever love her again, that history still meant something. The others turned to leave. They had clearly been dismissed.

As they returned to the car EZ pulled Angel back from Gilly and CoCo to have a discussion. He needed to understand just what his brother had dragged him into. All Angel had said was that "Los Olvidados weren't going away, the game was evolving and if the MC wanted to stay ahead of everything Adelita was the only way…" EZ knew that to be bullshit though. Yes, it seemed like the MC was getting in too deep with Galindo, to the point of not being able to get themselves out...but to intentionally cause a war...that wasn't going to make anything better. EZ understood the real reason they were all wrapped up in this senseless bloodshed though. Angel had feelings for this woman, and she had swayed him to her side of vengeance. She may be the lesser of two evils but that didn't make her virtuous.

As they returned to the car Angel stopped once more. "I wasn't planning on bring you into this Ezekiel but after today I realize I need you. You're the only one I can trust. But this is it, I need to know if you really want this, the life, the MC, all of it. Sangre is sangre."

He didn't need to think before he responded to his brother though, he had already decided this very issue the night before. He had already jumped…

"I'm all in."

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

She knew it was a bad idea to try and go back to the house. Marisol had to work late and there was no way to get into her place so Leticia had hoped the apartment would be empty again. What a horrible idea!

She had been seeing less and less of Celia. As whores aged their rates lowered and Celia was having to stay out longer and longer hours to make the same money she once did. In her mind it was the only way to keep Alberto around though. He liked to party, and if she didn't have money for groceries, and keeping the house a certain way, he would find someone else to take care of him. The guy was a fucking dead beat and he had been drinking more and more. Leticia had been staying away from the house longer and longer because he had made it clear he wanted her and she feared if Celia wasn't around he would try and get what he wanted, if she was willing or not.

So she knew tempting fate twice in as many weeks was a bad idea, but she didn't have anywhere else to go. She barely made it in the door before she was cornered in the kitchen. She hadn't seen his work boots by the front mat and she hadn't looked more closely for signs of life. She jumped nearly a foot off the ground when she closed the refrigerator door and he was looming over her.

"Where the fuck have you been Leticia?" He moved forward, crowding her into the counter top.

"I've been busy working. I was staying at a friends place because it was so much closer to the venue I've been entertaining at." She lied through her teeth and began looking for a way around him.

"You've been avoiding home Leticia...you think you can just come and go whenever you want and never have to put any effort into this family?" He moved forward again, within arms reach now.

"No, that isn't true. I swear I've just been so busy lately. I haven't been able to come home." She rushed to reply.

"¡Mentirosa! You were here, you left things behind in your room. I saw the folded laundry on your dresser!" He screamed at her taking another step forward.

"I came by, but no one was here. I just washed my clothes and then left again. I swear!"

He slapped her then. A powerful arcing backhand that sent her to the other side of the kitchen. She caught herself on the cabinets before she could go all the way down though.

"Maldita puta. Todo lo que hago es cuidar de ti y de tu madre. ¿Cómo me pagas?" He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into the living room.

"Lo siento. Estaré bien, lo prometo." She begged as she fought against the grip he had on her hair. This was bad! This was really bad. This was going to end in her being either very damaged physically or giving in to what she knew he wanted. She just couldn't fucking do it though. She hated him, the men she fucked she went willingly to now, she was never going to let that be taken away from her again. She wasn't a scared 14 year old girl anymore. So, she fought him with everything she had. He was twice her size but she would kick and scream, and bite, and claw, and spit if she had to, she wouldn't just give in.

He wasn't expecting her to double down on her efforts to fight him. She usually just tried to protect herself once he got physical, or sometimes she would try and run. She clawed at his hand with enough force to make him bleed.

"Fuck! You little cunt!" He screamed at her as he used the hand not wound in her hair to punch her right in the temple. Once he hit her she usually would shrink in on herself and go into survival mode. This time though, it just seemed to piss her off more.

She ripped her hair away from his hand, pulling a large chunk of it out at the base of her skull. She took his moment of shock and swiped her nails across her face in the most cat like gesture she could manage, nails dragging across the fleshy part of his cheek under his eye. He began bleeding immediately and for a split second she relished in it. Until he reared back and punched her again, right in the mouth. She bit down on her tongue as she flew back onto the couch. She was bleeding profusely and now she was prone without a way to escape. He was on her in a flash, grabbing at her top and ripping it away from her shoulder. It tore clear down to her belly button and she knew... this would be the night.

"Nowhere to go now little whore. He querido joder." He smiled the most evil looking smile she had ever seen.

This was it, but she would be damned if she went willingly. So she did the only thing she could while pinned completely...she spit right in his face and watched in fascination as spit and blood ran down his cheek before dripping into her hair.

"Chingate!" she screamed at him.

He forced both her hands together and held them between one of his as he grabbed her shirt and ripped the rest of it away from her body. He then began on her cutoffs, popping the button and pulling on one end trying to pry them down. She bucked hard and he moved his hand back up to her body and grabbed her by the throat, squeezing to let her know he was serious.

"Be still or I will make you be still Leti!" He shouted at her.

He went to grab at her shorts again. Just before he made it, the metal floor lamp from the corner of the living room crashed into the back of his head. The force of the blow was so unexpected it knocked him to the carpet beside her. She immediately sprang over the back of the couch and as far across the room as she could wedging herself in a corner by the window.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing, you fat, ugly fucking whore?!" Alberto screamed.

Leticia took her eyes off Alberto for one moment to figure out what was going on. Celia stood over him with a 38 special pointed at his head. Leticia grabbed the pieces of her shirt and tried to cover as much of her body as possible.

"Get up slowly...Leave your wallet, phone, and keys on the table...no don't get your shoes...back out of the door now." Celia gave instructions while cocking the gun.

Alberto knew her mom was fucking crazy. She would shoot him and never blink. He complied easily and Celia slammed the door in his face, locking all three deadbolts immediately after.

There was silence for two long moments. Leticia watched as her mother's shoulders sank and she took a deep breath. Then like a snake shedding its skin, she straightened her shoulders and whipped around to look Leticia right in the eye.

"What the fuck are you doing here Leticia? You know better than to be this stupid. You've known this was coming for months, always tempting him with those fucking tiny little shorts and the long hair. I knew you were a stupid cono but dios mio are you actually retarded?"

Leticia was shocked! Celia would never win mother of the year but she was expecting a little more than "It's your fault you were almost raped by my crazy drunk boyfriend!" She couldn't help it, it just came out before she could stop it, a deep, heaving sob.

"Oh for Christ sake, get up and clean up...you're bleeding all over the floor." Celia cursed at her before disappearing into her bedroom.

She couldn't though, she sunk down in the corner, wedged between a kitchen chair and the wall. She curled her knees into her body and would have pressed her face into her knees but she knew it would hurt too much. She continued crying; blood, spit, snot and tears covering her face. She was a fucking mess and all she wanted, like some little fucking child, was a hug.

' _Breathe chica, you got this…' she had coached herself this way a few times before. 'Uno, dos, tres... breathe...uno, dos, tres... breathe, uno, dos, tres... estoy vivo… uno, dos, tres... estoy vivo…'_

She was alive, that was all that mattered for now. She grabbed the sides of her shirt and secured them around her again, before picking herself up off the floor. Her legs were shaky as she made her way to the bathroom. She couldn't even try and look at herself until after she had showered. She knew she looked terrible and didn't want to have to remember the visual after tonight. She stripped and stepped under the water before it had warmed all the way. Her face was throbbing so she moved it out of the direct spray, letting it run down from her hair line instead. Her tears began again as she looked down at the drain, a river of red running out of sight, disappearing forever. In that moment she promised herself she wouldn't let herself disappear down the drain, even if she had to fight with everything she had, she would live.

* * *

 _ **Translations:**_

' _Hijo de perra! This mierda de grasa is fucking heavy.' : 'Son of a bitch! This fat shit is fucking heavy.'_

" _Está bien. Mi hermano...mi sangre.": "It's Okay. He's my brother..my blood."_

" _El diablo ya no lo espanta." "We no longer fear the devil."_

" _Todos hemos sentido la salvaje de mano de Cartel...Ahora...Miguel Galindo conocer hace dolor..." : We have all felt the savage hand of the Cartel...Now, Miguel Galindo will feel that pain…"_

" _No soy el diablo, Ezekiel.": " I am no devil, Ezekiel."_

" _¡Mentirosa!..." : "Liar!..."_

" _Maldita puta. Todo lo que hago es cuidar de ti y de tu madre. ¿Cómo me pagas?": "You fucking whore. All I ever did was take care of you and your mother. This is how you repay me?"_

" _Lo siento. Estaré bien, lo prometo." : "I'm sorry. I will be good, I promise."_

" _...He querido joder.": "...I have wanted to fuck you."_

" _Chingate!": "Fuck yourself!"_

' _Uno, dos, tres... breathe...uno, dos, tres... breathe, uno, dos, tres... estoy vivo… uno, dos, tres... estoy vivo…' : 'One, two, three, breathe...one, two, three...breathe, one, two, three...I'm alive...one, two, three…I'm alive.'_


	9. Chapter 9- Trip to the Upside Down

**A.N. Leticia isn't around today. She will be back when she has had a few days to heal. FYI there is a name that will be used towards the end of this chapter, Xochitl, just so you're aware the pronunciation is like So-cheel but a small l on the end...So-Chee-l.**

 **EZ is going to find out about Leticia's age a little differently than in the show. So expect that issue a tad later.**

 **Unfortunately, I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

It was only mid morning but EZ already felt like it had been a long day. They had been out late meeting with Adelita, and then burying the body in the desert. The body dumping hadn't mattered to Bishop though, because he had called at 7:30 this morning and given instruction to get in contact with the dealers in Dogwood crew about any potential possibility of Los Olvidados trying to move their drugs through street crews.

Angel had led the search mission, he said he had been running with a few guys from Dogwood for a few years before getting involved with the MC. Apparently, most of Angel's information was either old or shit because they had yet to meet up with anyone of importance that could answer their questions. In fact, they had yet to meet up with anyone at all. It was like Dogwood had just fuckin' disappeared.

"Why don't we meet back up with CoCo and Taza and see if they've had any luck?" EZ broached. His brother was becoming more and more frustrated with not being able to get answers.

"Yeah, sounds good." Angel muttered before turning around and heading back to the Dogwood crew's hangout bar.

Coco knew a few of these guys from before he had gone to Iraq, he didn't hang around with almost anyone unless they were in the MC but he still knew a few of the guys who had worked their way up through Dogwood.

They pulled up just as Coco and Taza exited the bar.

"Any sign of Dogwood?" Angel asked

"Not a gangster in sight. Nothing at the puta palace?" Taza questioned.

EZ shook his head. "It was dark." They had just been there and the place was abandoned.

"I think that Louie's old lady still lives above the barber shop." CoCo suggested.

The three looked to Taza who gave his okay to proceed.

The situation that followed would have been comical if it weren't so confusing. Louie's fucking kid, no more than 8, had fired an air-soft gun right at CoCo's face. CoCo had yelled and cursed and complained about almost losing an eye. Angel definitely wasn't going to let that go any time soon. EZ was sure there would be several 44 caliber Hasbro jokes in the future. They didn't have much time to laugh about it though because the kid had said his dad was hiding out because the club wanted to kill him. Which was news to them...

"Why the fuck is he runnin'?" Angel wondered.

"You think he is worried because he did something wrong? Maybe Los Olvidados did try and sell off the heroine and Dogwood bought it. Now they know we will seek retribution?" CoCo said.

"Dogwood is simple, they have a good thing going with us, they wouldn't risk our relationship. They are too close, right in our streets. No...that isn't it." Taza reasoned.

"Louie is the shot caller for Dogwood. We need to find him and figure out what is going on...we should call Bishop." CoCo said while fishing his phone out of his front pocket.

Bishop had agreed with Taza, Dogwood wouldn't be stupid enough to burn a bridge right in their backyard. He suggested they make a trip to Georgia's dog shelter. It doubled as a detox facility for the neighborhood. If Los Olvidados had sold off the keys Georgia would know. If there were extra drugs on the street she would be seeing higher traffic through her kennels.

When they arrived and met up with the others they had gotten lucky. A member of Dogwood crew was detoxing and almost ready to be cut loose. With a small amount of cash changing hands Georgia had gotten Louie to pick up his homie within an hour.

Clearly none of the MC expected Louie to run though. Which is why EZ was now chasing Louie down the highway, Angel by his side. This shit was ridiculous, it was almost impossible to outrun someone on a bike, Louie had to have known that. He wasn't shooting, or swerving, he was just running.

' _What the fuck did this guy do?'_ EZ wondered, just as he realized they were headed into road work.

He motioned at Angel, there were several more signs ahead and a fence right after. They couldn't take the fence with their bikes...Louie clearly thought he could though, and he sped straight through it. It was only then that they all realized the giant drop as the road ended. The car went flying and flipped, landing on its top.

Angel pulled over and dismounted his bike EZ right behind him. They walked into the enclosed area followed by Coco and Gilly. They all laughed as the made their way to the wreckage.

"How was your visit to the upside down?" Angel laughed.

Louie was currently trying to wiggle his way out of a window.

"It was fucking terrifying!"

The others had caught up to the younger members of the MC. They all headed down the hill together. EZ reached Louie first and dragged him the rest of the way out of the window, lifting him to his feet.

"Why did you run Louie? You got something to hide?" Bishop was clearly unimpressed with having to chase this asshole.

"I didn't...I didn't know she was your baby sister CoCo! She came in with one of our other girls Jenn. I had her do a few scenes, just as tests for the site. ¿ya sabes?" Louie rushed to explain, hands raised towards CoCo.

"The porn site?" Riz asked

"Yeah! I uploaded the shit and then when she came to pay out she came at me all pissed off because she wanted more money. I paid her friend at a higher rate. Anal pays more though….everyone knows that." He tried to reason

' _WHAT THE FUCK?! Was this guy talking about Leti?!'_

EZ immediately went rigid and took a step forward. Angel grabbed his shoulder and shrugged. Clearly his brother thought he was just defending women, or something.

"I mean anal should pay more...no?" Angel chuckled to EZ.

' _How the FUCK could CoCo just let this guy talk about his fucking sister like this?'_

EZ stared at CoCo in disbelief. He couldn't understand how this piece of shit wasn't already bleeding. EZ was pissed and he didn't even know the girl. CoCo should be beating this dude into the dirt.

"She started yelling about how she was going to tell you I had lied to her and that you were going to come down and sort everything out if I didn't pay her what she wanted man. I just gave her the money, we are square. Once I figured out you were her brother I tried to take the video down but by then it was all over the internet and everyone was downloading and liking. It was one of our most liked...I couldn't take it down then…"

' _Chingada Madre this dude just keeps digging a hole, deeper and deeper.'_

EZ again took a step forward, his hands clenched into fists. CoCo looked at him then, confused by his reaction.

"Whoa whoa...I didn't realize you were her old man homie...I'm sorry I fucked up." Louie took a step away from EZ.

CoCo spoke then, still looking at EZ confused.

"My baby sister? Fuckin' wrong man!" CoCo took a step forward, between Louie and EZ.

"You should put a bullet in his head!" Tranq added while Gilly cocked his gun.

' _Yeah! You fucking should! What the fuck!'_ EZ was spinning out even thinking about this whole situation. He had no idea why he was so pissed but he knew Leti didn't deserve to be talked about like this, like she was nothing more than views…

Angel was still firmly holding EZ's shoulder and wasn't even paying attention to Bishop renegotiating dealing percentages until CoCo didn't feel upset anymore, or looking into who may be looking to sell the missing dope.

"Que carajo? What's up EZ?" Angel didn't usually see his brother get upset, let alone over nothing like this.

"I know her Angel...I know Leti...she doesn't deserve to be talked about like she is some fuck doll there for views...I don't know how this guy isn't dead...if I were CoCo this would have been over as soon as he confessed." EZ whispered to his brother.

Bishop was clearly done talking to Louie so Angel pushed him back in the direction of the bikes and nodded for him to start back. The others were only a few steps behind him but he continued on. He needed to get his shit together. The last thing he needed to do was turn around and scream at CoCo for being a piece of shit for not defending his family.

' _Sangre es Sangre! STOP! Take a deep breath, this isn't your business.'_

He heard CoCo then, joking with the rest of the club about how he didn't have a baby sister, only two older sisters both ugly as fuck. EZ froze...was he embarrassed by his sister being in porn and didn't want to defend her because then he would have to claim her?

' _OH! Absolutely not!' EZ whipped around to face CoCo._

"What the fuck dude? I thought the whole point of this organization was family. I fuckin' know your sister CoCo...I've met her and she seemed nice...in fact the last time I saw her she was desperately trying to get in touch with you, scrawled her number across my arm in hopes I would get you to call her. She does one thing you don't like and suddenly you don't have a sister. That's bullshit man! Sangre es Sangre!" EZ yelled and shoved CoCo away from their bikes.

This was it, EZ had had enough. Something about this entire encounter had set his blood on fire and he was ready for someone in this situation to bleed. CoCo's eyes shot to his, his head cocked to the side, and he smirked. That was all it took. EZ swung at him, full force, catching him on the jaw. CoCo stumbled to the dirt...Bishop rushed between them holding his hands up. Gilly offered CoCo a hand and as he stood he spit in EZ's direction.

"First of all, I don't know who the fuck you are talking about porque no tengo una hermanita. Second, if this did happen and someone gave you instructions to get in contact with me why the FUCK didn't you ever say SHIT about it?"

"Give it up man! I have met Leti, she looks like you! I mean obviously not like you, but I see the fuckin' resemblence."

CoCo threw his hands up and mounted his bike, taking off before any other words could be spoken.

' _What the fuck is wrong with him?'_

"Care to enlighten the rest of us about just what the fuck is going on between you and CoCo, prospect?" Bishop asked.

"Nothing...it's nothing…" EZ replied and mounted his bike as well. He waited until the last of the MC had pulled out before he sighed and kicked his bike into gear. They made their way back to the club house, EZ bringing up the back the entire ride.

Once they arrived they split, most of the club heading inside to the bar. Bishop motioned for EZ to follow him into the shop, CoCo's bike was parked near the shop entrance.

"You're going to fucking work this shit out now." Bishop instructed and pushed him inside the shop. Once he was in however he didn't find CoCo. Instead he found freaky fingerless Chucky watching a 26 minute video of Leticia pulled up on the computer screen.

"What the fuck are you doing?" EZ demanded. Chucky looked up at EZ and then back to Leticia. He had paused and all EZ saw was her kneeling totally topless in the middle of the bed smiling at the camera while she held one of her breasts.

' _NO! Look away from that! Focus!'_

Chucky minimized the screen, intentionally not exiting from the video.

' _This weird little fucker...no way is it cool if he watches this.'_

"Dude, why are you watching videos of CoCo's little sister Leti? If he finds you he is going to fucking kill you slowly."

"CoCo came in here and asked to use the computer. He looked this up...he walked out of here shaking his head and muttering about fuckin' Xochitl and her getting into something."

' _Who the fuck is Xochitl?'_

"Look man, Coco definitely wouldn't be okay with this. I'm not okay with this." EZ explained firmly. He made it clear this was not acceptable by walking past Chucky, bringing the video back up and exiting out of the screen. "Do you know where CoCo went? I need to talk to him."

"No...he walked out about 5 minutes before you showed up. Said he needed to go talk to a puta vieja y fea."

Before EZ could respond he got a text. He looked down at his phone...Bishop.

 _ **Get inside NOW**_

He didn't even give Chucky a second glance, he just walked back out and over to the club house. The MC was gathered around the bar, Angel looked nervous. As EZ went to stand next to his brother, Bishop walked back in from the table, he was followed out by Galindo. EZ heard him assure him they would do what the could.

EZ looked to Angel questioningly.

"Yo no soy diablo, Ezekiel." Angel repeated in a hushed tone so no one but he could hear just as Bishop walked up to the others.

"The Galindo baby has been taken by the rebel group Los Olvidados. Galindo has asked us to help him in any way we can. You should all be receiving a message with a video the rebel group just released. If you see anything familiar, let me know. Talk to your people on the street and figure out if they know anything either."

When they were dismissed Angel and EZ stepped outside together. EZ motioned to his trailer and Angel followed him inside, taking a seat by the entrance.

"Jesus fucking Christ Angel, she took a baby! Ella tomó un bebé? I know she said he would feel pain, but...how can we be a part of this."

"EZ you don't know Adelita like I do. Look at who she is out there with. Todo lo que ella hace es cuidar a los niños. She would never hurt that baby. This is to hurt him, not an innocent. Plus, what the fuck Ezekiel...what has gotten into you. Going crazy on us because of some good chocha you aren't even fucking…?"

"I just think it's fucked up he can't stand up for his own blood Angel. Dad always says Blood will always land on blood, and that pendejo won't even admit to the people he calls carnan that he has a sister. I don't care what she has done Angel, she is still his family…"

"Everyone ain't like us EZ and you can't go fuckin' swinging on people because of it, especially MC." Angel stood to leave.

"I'm going to get a drink. You comin' back?"

"Yeah. I will meet you there. I'm going to shower." EZ replied, motioning Angel to go ahead.

As soon as Angel left the trailer though he picked up his phone and opened a new text.

 _ **Not sure if you still need to get a hold of him or not...but here.**_

 _ **~Ezekiel**_

He attached CoCo's number and hit send before he could think about it.

' _There, at least now it isn't on me.'_

He got up and turned the shower on. He hadn't expected a reply so he was surprised when his phone dinged. He opened the message and smirked slightly...she was a handful…

' _In more than one way…'_ He thought to himself as he recalled her kneeling on a bed, smiling at the camera.

 _ **So, you do speak English...I'm so glad you could fit me into your busy schedule after months, Ezekiel. Better late than never I suppose.**_

 _ **~Leticia**_

EZ chuckled to himself as he threw his phone back on the bed and began undressing to shower. She was definitely going to be a handful if her and CoCo worked their shit out. Hopefully, it wouldn't cause too much drama within the club...he had a feeling that was wishful thinking though, especially where he was concerned. His display today was bound to draw attention to her, and he knew he would be getting questions about it from more than just Bishop.

How was he supposed to explain though, that he didn't really know Leticia, he just felt extremely protective of her? He didn't appreciate CoCo handling his family that way? That made no sense to even him, it definitely wouldn't go over well with Taza and Tranq, even Angel was confused. How was he supposed to explain that he just knew she was meant to be around…

' _That shit sounds crazy...fairy tale maricon bullshit."_

But that was the truth...she was meant to be close to the club, meant to be close to CoCo, meant to be close to him. He knew it the second she had scrawled her number across his arm. She belonged close, and he was tired of fighting it.

* * *

 _ **Translations:**_

" _Que carajo?...": "What the fuck?..."_

" _...porque no tengo una hermanita…": "...because I don't have a baby sister…"_

" _...puta vieja y fea." : "...ugly old whore."_

" _Yo no soy diablo, Ezekiel.": "I am not the devil, Ezekiel."_

" _...Ella tomó un bebé?": "...She took a baby?"_

" _...Todo lo que ella hace es cuidar a los niños.": "...All she does is care for kids."_


	10. Chapter 10-Unexpected Date Night

**A.N. Hey, I'm back! Sorry I was gone for so long. I went on a girl's trip, long weekend with friends, and when I came back I had to put my house back together from my man being alone with the little while I was away. They had fun but realized there truly isn't a magic fairy that goes behind them picking everything up...I'm all caught up on house stuff though so I finally have time to sit back down and write.**

 **Leticia's back after a few days of downtime. I wish I could say her story is sunshine and rainbows from here but...you know it isn't. Luckily there seems to be something pulling her a little closer to something good though. Fate has some plans for her this chapter.**

 **Unfortunately, I don't own Mayans MC or any of Kurt Sutter's characters.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

The morning came too quickly, the heat truly settling into Santo Padre. EZ pulled into the dress factory behind Angel, they were the last, everyone already waiting. He was surprised to see CoCo there looking as though nothing had happened the previous day. After EZ had thrown hands at him and then texted his sister, he assumed CoCo would be a little less than welcoming this morning. CoCo hadn't even looked at him though.

' _With good reason...it is never a good thing when Alvarez shows up.'_ EZ nodded in El Padrino's direction.

No one had been told why they were here, just that Galindo wanted them immediately.

"You know what this shit is?" Angel asked Bishop.

"He didn't say. Let's just get this shit behind us." Alvarez responded for the president as he pulled back the sliding metal door leading to the church pew.

' _Fuck! Never a good place to be, let alone to start a meeting…'_ EZ internally groaned.

Sure enough, once EZ made it fully inside the room, his dread spiked. A middle aged man was already tied to the pew, frantically trying to explain that he wasn't involved, blood spattered at his feet from a split lip.

' _Well at least this one isn't 6000 lbs.'_ EZ shook himself from the thought. Death like this was never good and he didn't want to start becoming desensitized to it.

"¿Cómo podrías ver la hoguera y no a la gente alrededor?" Galindo yelled as he paced back and forth.

"Hay gente, siempre hay hoguera. Nunca me doy cuenta...por favor." the stranger explained.

"I gather you've seen this?" Galindo shoved the anti cartel flyer Los Olvidados had been passing out in the mans face.

"No. No se nada de eso."

"About what? Benny." Galindo's eyes flashed as the man tripped through his story.

"Eran solo niños jugando…" the stranger whispered as he shook his head.

"Los has visto antes?" Galindo questioned. The man looked terrified, but EZ recognized something else. He looked as though he was guilty, like he had said something he shouldn't and didn't know how to take it back. Galindo saw it too.

"Eran niños, por favor!" the man begged again as Galindo stepped away from him, motioning to Nestor.

"What is this?" Alvarez finally questioned, as Galindo stepped further away from the man.

"We saw his food truck parked at the location the video was taken. We are just asking if he saw anything at the time it was made...He has confirmed he is always parked there so he should have seen it happening." Galindo supplied just as Nestor threw a bowl full of heated grease at the chest of the man.

' _Jesus Christ…'_

EZ flinched away as the man's skin immediately began blistering and the screaming started.

"You need to be very careful when you cook with grease." Nestor said.

"Is there a reason why you called us here to watch this?" Bishop took a step forward. Clearly he wasn't in the mood to witness torture today either.

"A reason? Oh you want a reason...because this greasy fucking peasant saw who took my son!" Galindo screamed.

EZ leaned over to Angel.

"Angel we can tell him about the station wagon, the one I saw outside the dog shelter. We can stop this. That car was deserted long ago." He whispered frantically.

"What did you say? No go ahead! Speak up prospect." Clearly Galindo thought he had something to share like during the shoot out.

EZ looked around the room, Gilly gave one shake of his head and EZ knew another observation wasn't approved by the club.

"I said maybe if you didn't treat them like greasy fucking peasants you would still have your son." EZ smirked as Galindo tried to launch himself through Alvarez and Bishop to get to him.

"Fuck! Why's it always gotta be some shit with you." Angel whispered.

Alvarez was able to calm Galindo but, as he took a step back and made eye contact with EZ, he called for a child. The owner of the food truck immediately began begging after having gone silent. A boy no older than 8 was forced out of the opening for the tunnel ladder and shoved towards Nestor. There, zip ties were placed around his wrists and he was then zip tied onto the pew next to his father, all while Galindo viciously smirked at EZ.

"Fuck! Fuck!" Angel whispered again before turning away. He pulled his phone from his pants and answered it too loudly, to draw everyone's attention.

"Really? Yeah, no I will be right there." He replied to someone on the other line.

"That was Dogwood, they found a station wagon off the side of the highway over by the dog shelter."

Bishop came forward to Galindo. "Let us run down this lead, before you do anything else. This man and his son may seriously know nothing, the car can give us facts, anything left behind could help us."

Galindo nodded and Bishop immediately turned to leave, the entire MC following closely behind. They hadn't been as lucky as they thought though, Galindo had sent Nestor along with them to investigate the car as well.

They all pulled up to the car together, two men with Nestor began going through the interior of the vehicle while Bishop and Riz began calling people for information on the plates and registration. The four younger members stood back by the bikes, as the rest searched.

"What the fuck man? Are you trying to get us killed!" Gilly questioned EZ.

"I'm sorry. I know I need to leave my history with the guy behind but damn…" EZ thought using Emily as the best way to explain disliking Galindo was the way to go.

"I thought he was going to put on his gay ass little rain coat right then." CoCo laughed, Angel and Gilly joining in.

Right as EZ was going to respond, Nestor peeled out with the two men he came with.

"Where the fuck is he going in such a hurry?" Angel questioned.

The older members were headed back towards the bikes, grabbing helmets and kicking off before they could really explain.

"Those dogs are from the dog shelter, that way." Bishop motioned in the direction the car had gone.

"SHIT!" EZ kicked his bike off and sped towards the shelter after the MC. As he pulled up half the MC was already jumping off their bikes and running towards the kicked in front door. Nestor had Georgia against a kennel by the throat. Bishop didn't even say anything he just swung.

' _Guess that guy didn't know Georgia was Bishop's niece…' EZ rolled his eyes._

Nestor was clearly experienced in taking a shot to the temple though, because he didn't stumble away. He let go of Georgia and pulled his gun, aiming it straight at Bishop. The rest of the MC, and Nestor's two other associates immediately pulled their weapons as well. All aimed at different people. It was so silent, EZ swore he could hear Angel's heartbeat.

"Not like this." Alvarez said as he stepped into the kennels from the back office. "It is time to work this out, but not like this."

"No guns!" Nestor yelled, and everyone agreed by holstering their weapons. There was a moment of decision and Tranq was the first to decide. He let out a bellowing yell and swung as hard as he could at one of Nestor's men. Like a war cry that yell had begun an all out brawl between the MC and Galindo's men.

They had beat on each other for a good 10 minutes before they were all exhausted and bloodied.

"This was overdue." Alvarez called down the hallway to the men on either side, chests heaving from work. "There is no one here, I checked the back. The owner, who is a friend of the club, said she has not had anyone in that had any children or a baby. She has seen nothing, I believe her."

Nestor shoved Bishop to the side as he motioned for his men to exit.

"I will let Galindo know you are looking into information regarding the plates." He addressed Alvarez before exiting the building with his men and driving away.

"Go home for now...Riz and I will finish making our calls for more information. Be ready to answer if called upon." Bishop dismissed the MC members.

Angel grabbed EZ by the shoulder and pushed him from the kennels towards their bikes. EZ turned back and saw CoCo and Gilly following closely behind.

"Where are we going?" EZ whispered to his brother.

"We need to check on a baby so you will stop being such a fucking liability. If you know that kid is fine you will stop freaking out and saying shit to make things worse?" Angel looked his brother in the eye, questioning if this would be enough for him. EZ just nodded as a response.

"Hey, tienes tu pasaporte?" Angel called back to CoCo and Gilly. "We are going over the legal way tonight...I ain't walkin' 5 miles for a drink."

As EZ slung a leg over his bike his phone buzzed. He fished it out to make sure it wasn't El Presidente asking them back already. Instead, he saw a name he wasn't expecting at all, and he smiled to himself.

 _ **What do you get a big bad biker for his birthday? I'm told it is coming up next month. Since you know my brother I was hoping you would have a suggestion. Needs to be good...I'm trying to build bridges here…**_

 _ **~Leticia**_

Damn, he didn't know CoCo's birthday was coming up, or even how old he was going to be. Clearly she wanted to mend whatever falling out they'd had though. He could definitely help with this.

"Hey CoCo, did you ever buy that fishtail dual exhaust kit? You asked me if I could instal it for you once you bought it."

"No, I never bought it. We got busy and shit with all this Galindo mess. Yo maybe next month though. Those fucking things are slick."

"Yeah man. Let me know." EZ replied while strapping his helmet on.

 _ **Yeah, got an idea. Can I call you later tonight? You busy?**_

 _ **~Ezekiel**_

' _Holy shit...call her? What the fuck man?'_

Had he really just texted her that? Was he really going to talk to this girl over the phone about her brother's birthday gift...how domestic and shit. Before he could text her again, with a "sorry I meant text you later tonight**" She had already responded.

 _ **Yes, definitely. I'm free after 11. It's a date. Don't keep me waiting like last time Ezekiel.**_

 _ **~Leticia**_

' _Well fuck...you're stuck now…_ '

He shook his head as he kicked his bike into gear and headed after his brother who was pulling out ahead of him. He had to go check on a baby.

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

She had given herself two days to heal. Two days to be still, in her bedroom, with the door locked. She had given herself two days to cry, and eat ice cream, and cry. She had given herself two days to work through the fact that she was touched for a living and needed to stop wanting to gag anytime someone got too close to her. But now, her two days were up and tonight she was going back to work.

She had called Ronnie and made absolutely sure that she only had three dates tonight and two of them were her easy going regulars she had rescheduled. They were very vanilla and she didn't expect anything other than pretending to be their girlfriend for the evening. The third was a new client that wanted to try something new. He was a regular of her friend Marissa who was a pale blonde girl. He wanted to try something decidedly more spicy. He only booked half an hour for a blow job though. Marissa assured her he was easy going but had trouble not thrusting towards the end. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Considering the level of violence she experienced with Alberto she didn't look as terrible as she felt. She had a small bruise where one of his rings caught her under the eye when he backhanded her, but she had easily covered that with concealer. The hit she had taken to the temple hadn't bruised outside the hairline, it was a little tender if she pushed right on it but could be completely hidden. Her lip and her throat were a different story. Her lip was still a little swollen, though most of the blood had come from biting down on her tongue, she had nicked the side of her lip as well. The bruising was the problem. She'd had to layer her concealer three times and over-line her bottom lip to hide that. She knew after her third date, even if it was just half an hour, her lip would be sore the rest of the night and into tomorrow. Her throat was the worst damage though. Finger shaped bruising covered her neck from side to side. There was nothing to be done about it. Luckily she didn't have any dates running earlier than dinner so she opted for a sleeveless skin tight turtle neck black mini dress. It barely covered her ass, and matched with knee-high black heeled boots she looked like a smokin' hot Latina dominatrix. Not very vanilla but she could push the two men into something a little thrilling just for the night.

"Birthday celebrations? Are you finally leaving this shit-hole room?" Celia asked from the doorway.

"Birthday celebrations? My birthday is in July…"

"Fuck...you're brother is May 2nd not you...You are July 2nd. So just dressing like a whore to whore not to have fun…" Celia murmured before walking back down the hall.

' _BITCH!...New fact though...May 2nd. Johnny's birthday is coming up. Maybe that would be perfect I can show up with a gift...surprise I'm your sister you never knew about…'_

Yes, she was liking this idea. The problem was her brother was turning 33, they had nothing in common age wise, he was a man, and therefore liked zero of the things she liked. She had no idea where to even start with gift giving for him. Plus it needed to be like a good gift...really good...like hey you want to actually be my family good.

' _Come on girl...you do this for a living...you get men to tell you what they want...what they really really want… well fuck now the Spice Girls is stuck in my head.'_

She was right though...she could find out just about anything all she had to do was ask the right way and while she couldn't ask her brother, she could ask someone else.

 _ **What do you get a big bad biker for his birthday? I'm told it is coming up next month. Since you know my brother I was hoping you would have a suggestion. Needs to be good...I'm trying to build bridges here…**_

 _ **~Leticia**_

She hadn't texted Ezekiel again since he had sent her brother's number. She had definitely thought about him though. If she were being truthful, when he texted her the night before she had been well into her second pint of ice cream and her first thought had been _"how can I get this guy to kill Alberto."_ It disturbed her how easy she had thought it would be, for that brief moment.

She would never tell him to his face but Ezekiel had been possibly one of the easiest people she had ever read, and he had a severe weakness for wanting to defend people he perceived as weak. She could tell within the minute and a half she interacted with him, as Ronnie had pushed her down the hall she had looked back at him and she had never seen someone so ready to defend a stranger. It made her a little sick to her stomach that she immediately thought of how to exploit that compassion into an extreme act of violence in the sake of revenge. She had wanted to text him back last night, even today, Jesus he was hot as fuck...but she didn't trust herself with him until she was in a better head space.

Now, fully dressed with her makeup acting as her mask, she was back in a place where she could exist without wanting to rip, and tear, and kill or make someone else do it for her. Now Ezekiel was a hot man, not a sharpened weapon.

 _ **Yeah, got an idea. Can I call you later tonight? You busy?**_

 _ **~Ezekiel**_

' _OMG call me later tonight? Hahahahahaha are we going to talk on the phone all night like little high schoolers in love?'_

She paused and looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't know what was more weird, the fact that she should actually be in high school and this should be such a normal thing for someone her age, or the fact that she was oddly excited about how innocent this guy sounded, trying to make a phone date with her and asking if she had time for that.

' _Fucking Christ, get it together chica. You literally suck dick for a living and you're nervous if a boy will like you when you talk on the phone tonight.'_

It was so normal, talking to someone you were interested in. She didn't have much experience with it though. She skipped all of that and went straight to the fucking part 90% of the time. She had a few regulars that liked to go to dinner and hold her hand and feel like they had some kind of intimate connection to another human beyond sex but those were few and far between. This whole idea was kind of intoxicating to her.

 _ **Yes, definitely. I'm free after 11. It's a date. Don't keep me waiting like last time Ezekiel.**_

 _ **~Leticia**_

"I will be back before 11." Leticia called down the hall as she grabbed her bag by the front door. She wanted to make sure Celia knew she was coming back just in case someone else, she never wanted to think about again, tried to come back too.

"Vete ala verga." Celia called back.

' _God what a bitch!' Leticia rolled her eyes as she started her night._

She met her first regular, Noel at a bar. He liked to pretend to see her from across a room and flirt like he didn't know her and then frantically fuck in the bar or club bathroom. He always picked a different bar or club so no one would notice he kept meeting the same hot girl and fucking her in the bathroom, but whatever she wasn't complaining. He took less than an hour and a half all in and paid for 3 hours because she was such a good actress.

By 9 o'clock she was situated in a motel room waiting on her second regular Matthew. He was married with two children and his wife didn't fuck him anymore ever, but he loved his kids and didn't want to get divorced. So, he fucked Leticia once every two weeks for an hour so he wasn't miserable and sexless/ seeking a new emotional attachment through an affair. He was particularly excited about her look tonight and opted to fuck her from behind with all her clothes still on, especially the boots. He had just hiked her dress up over her ass and bent her over the side of an overstuffed armchair. He was done in 35 minutes and out the door 15 minutes early.

' _Hopefully this last one doesn't take forever to cum...giving head for an actual half an hour sounds like hell.'_

She was hoping this last guy, unaccustomed to her long black hair, sultry dark eyes, and pouty red lips would blow early. However, at exactly 10:05 pm she got the shock of a lifetime. There standing in the doorway was a young, maybe early 30's, fairly good looking, vanilla as vanilla came, white, blue eyed priest.

' _Well this was unexpected…'_

"David?" She inquired just to make sure this was in fact actually happening in real life. He nodded.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting outside. Please come in. Marissa called and told me you would be stopping by tonight."

"Yes, thank you. Marissa is such a lovely girl and she has been telling me I need to branch out just a little bit."

"Has she? Well it is always exciting to try new things. I imagine your job is very stressful, so hopefully I can help ease some of that stress while helping you experience something new."

"Yes, it is very stressful, being responsible for so many people and their faith. I'm sorry, I've only ever seen Marissa and I don't really know how to go about this."

"You let me worry about everything. I just have one question before we begin. I want to make sure you have the absolute best experience possible and I know trying new things can be intimidating…" He nodded at her to continue.

"At the end, would you like me to focus on my task or would you like me to look you in the eye? Do you want to experience this by touch or by sight?"

He was timid, he had probably only ever been with Marissa and she had convinced him to try something, someone new. She didn't want to scar him for life by giving an enthusiastic blow job and then looking into his soul while he came, unless he wanted that. He seemed to understand this as well.

"No, I think if you just focus on the task that would be more than enough. Do you mind if I touch your hair?"

She smiled at his request. An easy middle ground. Something to remind him this wasn't Marissa but not something where he needed to be vulnerable with a stranger.

"Of course not." She replied before she got to work.

He left in exactly 30 minutes, paid for a full hour and her lip wasn't even that sore. He was gentle and she didn't mind so much that it had taken him the full half an hour.

By 10:45 she was checking out of the motel and heading back home. She stopped at a bodega on the way and grabbed a few things for the fridge at home and 3 tacos for dinner that night. She shoved a huge bite into her mouth right as her phone rang. She balanced the bag and the tacos in one hand while she riffled through her purse with the other. She finally fished it out and looked at the screen…

"Well, first you're months late and now you're early...which is it Ezekiel? So many mixed messages." She flirtily answered without saying hello.

"Oh shit...my bad. Are you still busy? I can call back." He responded quickly.

Holy shit he sounded hot! His voice was deep and gravely and remembering him now, matched perfectly with what she recalled.

"No, I'm free. I just stopped at Estelle's for some groceries and tacos on the way home. Estos son los mejores." She replied while taking another bite.

"¿Neta? I'm three doors down. My pop owns the carnicería, I'm just helping him close up. Estelle gets all her meat from him for those tacos...umm you can come over if you want...there is a table here you could eat at."

She had already walked the three doors down and was pushing the door open as he finished asking her over. She walked in still balancing the tacos and shopping bag in one hand while the other held her phone to her ear. He was facing the door, broom in one hand with an apron around his waist, phone to his ear as well. They smiled at each other before lowering their phones and hanging up.

"Well this is unexpected. I didn't think my night would end, sharing tacos at the butcher shop…" She laughed as she set her bag down on the floor by the small table. She pulled out her chair and pushed the tacos towards the middle of the table, motioning for EZ to sit.

"Are you sure?" She nodded.

"Isn't this whole date happening so you can help me find the perfect gift for my brother? I hardly think sharing bodega tacos makes us even."

"We don't need to be even. Oh, you got the lengua. Woman after my own heart!"

"Two lengua and one barbacoa. That's always what I order."

"Ha, that gives new meaning to the phrase tongue and cheek no?" He winked at her as he ate his taco in two bites.

' _Honestly, how men can eat so much at once...crazy.'_

She finished off her barbacoa taco and pushed the other lengua towards him.

"Are you trying to bribe me with tacos?" He snarked as he reached for the second one.

She watched him as he ate. He seemed happy, easy going, like all he was really thinking about was enjoying company and tacos. She reached forward and grabbed his hand, turning it towards her. She leaned farther forward and took a bite, from the half eaten lengua. She looked up at him through her lashes. He seemed surprised, but open to sharing food.

' _Feeding another with you hands is rather intimate.' she thought to herself as she winked at him this time._

Clearly he thought the same. She watched as his eyes dilated, and his breathing became a little heavier. He had focused on her mouth as she chewed. This had become much more intimate than she had expected. He brought his other hand forward and brushed the side of her mouth.

"What happened?" He asked as he traced the small cut down past her lip, noticing the faint discoloration around the corner of her mouth. He would have missed the bruise completely if she hadn't gotten so close. It was hidden well, under layers of makeup, but now that he'd seen it it became more obvious.

She flinched away, not ready for that particular question. The mood shifted quickly from lust to something much too heavy for Leticia.

"A minor disagreement. Nothing to worry about." She shrugged and sat all the way back in her chair and crossed her ankles under the table. She was closing herself off, but didn't want to seem as though she was. He noticed anyway.

"So you mentioned your brother's birthday…" He changed the subject so she wouldn't have to.

"Yes, it is May 2nd. I would like to get him something big. Something that would make him be like...really?"

"So I have the perfect thing actually but it's pretty expensive. He has been talking about getting dual fishtail mufflers put on his soft tail. He was going to order them last month and I was going to install them for him but we got busy with the MC."

"What are we talkin' when we say expensive?"

"The 36 inch kit is like $495. I can fully install it though."

"Okay, how quickly could you get them? I could have the money to you by next Wednesday probably. Will that give you enough time to order it, and install it?"

She was so excited. She was expecting expensive to be almost twice that. She could work four extra hours this week no problem. In fact, she might be able to convince Noel to meet up with her again in which case she would only need to see one other client.

"Umm...yeah. It should take about a week to get them shipped here and then I need about a day to install them. It would be easiest for me to install them on a friday evening. CoCo usually sticks around the clubhouse to drink on Fridays so that should be fine. You sure the money isn't an issue?"

She eyed him then, she didn't particularly care for his tone or the fact that he was inquiring about her financial situation. She didn't even know him. Why he thought it was his business was anyone's guess.

"You're sweet but believe me, I got it." She stood and grabbed her bag from the ground.

"I really appreciate this Ezekiel. You have no idea what your help means to me. I have to run before I get locked out of the house, but hey, anytime you want to text or call or whatever...I'm available."

"I don't want anything from you Leti." he replied softly as he reached forward and tucked her bangs behind her ear. Clearly he had misunderstood the offer.

"Oh, I didn't mean...I just meant well we are friends aren't we? I just meant if you ever needed company...friendly non-sexual company...I mean not that you aren't like smokin' hot but…shit I'm gonna shut up." This was turning into word vomit quickly, she needed to get out of there. She turned to leave, embarrassed.

Before she could get too far though he grabbed her by the hand and turned her back towards him.

"Hey, you're not so bad yourself you know? I will definitely give you a call. I hope you can work things out with your brother, it would be nice if you were around more. I could use a friend."

He hadn't let go of her hand while they had spoken, and as they walked to the door he still hadn't let her go. He pushed the door open and stood sideways in the opening. She edged past him so she was no on the sidewalk while he was still in the door frame. She took another step which stretched their joined hands farther apart drawing attention to them. He looked down and noticed he had intertwined his fingers with hers, and blushed. She laughed and shook her head before stepping towards him and curling her other arm around his waist. Hugging was fine between friends right? He wrapped his other arm around her as well and squeezed her closer to his chest.

"Really Ezekiel, I mean it. This means everything. Thank you. Oh, and don't call me Leti, please...just Leticia. I really hate being called Leti." she whispered into his T-shirt.

"Well Leticia, you are more than welcome to call me EZ if you want." he said without letting her go.

"Does everyone call you EZ?" she asked as she picked her head up to look him in the eye.

"Yeah, pretty much." he smiled down at her, and for a brief moment he looked at her lips.

She smirked as his focus changed. Men, they were all the same when it came to some things.

"Well then Ezekiel we can't have you thinking I'm like everyone else...now can we?" She winked at him again as she pulled away and took a few steps down the sidewalk. She turned around and began talking while walking backwards farther away.

"I hope it doesn't take months to hear from you again. This was fun...we should do it again some time."

With that, she waved and turned away from him and began her walk home. She wasn't going to turn around but she had a feeling that he would watch her until she made it around the corner. She hadn't intended to attract this much attention from him but she felt something simmering slowly between them. It felt a little dangerous, like she shouldn't have this sort of effect on one of her brother's friends. But it also felt a little comforting, safe even...welcoming? It may not be who she was intending to form a relationship with when she set her sights on the club, but she had a feeling Ezekiel was going to be important. She didn't know how yet. But man, was she looking forward to finding out.

* * *

 _ **Translations:**_

" _¿Cómo podrías ver la hoguera y no a la gente alrededor?": "How could you see the fire and not the people around it?"_

" _Hay gente, siempre hay hoguera. Nunca me doy cuenta...por favor." : "There are always people, always a fire, I didn't notice anyone...please."_

" _No. No se nada de eso." : "No. I don't know anything about that."_

" _Eran solo niños jugando…": "They were just children playing…"_

" _Los has visto antes?": "Have you seen them before?"_

" _Eran niños, por favor!": "They were children, please!"_

" _Hey, tienes tu pasaporte?": "Hey, do you have your passport?"_

" _Vete ala verga.": "Go get fucked."_

" _...Estos son los mejores.": "...These are the best."_


	11. Chapter 11-Is this on the final?

**A.N. OMG the summer totally got away from me. I know, I'm a terrible person. I literally just started seeing trailers for Mayans Season 2 and was like 'holy crap why am I not writing?'**

 **Anyway, our story is really going to start kicking off from here. They have officially met up in person and kind of solidified that spark…**

 **I own nothing belonging to Kurt Sutter including his intellectual property.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

 _'Who the fuck does she think she is'_ _EZ thought as he practically slammed the door behind her._

He thought seeing her again wouldn't be as hard as that had just been. He hadn't spoken more than 10 words to her in almost 8 years and she had the audacity to try and manipulate him into what...being her inside man? She wanted the truth? The truth was she knew what she had signed up for when she married a fucking cartel leader.

More now than ever did EZ realize exactly what Emily had become. She was a venomous scorpion. Nimble and manipulative, she ran to him for someone she could trust. But he wasn't fooled. She would sting him, poison his whole life, just like she had before… and then run. So he was supposed to what...cater to her? So she could get exactly what she wanted in the end?

Had she actually been asking for anything that wasn't common knowledge amongst hundreds of civilians he would have told her to get fucked. The fact that the one question she had asked him could be answered immediately without any consequences, was the only thing that saved her from that fate. Because for now he could play off this interaction as harmless. He would answer her directly instead of commenting on what she was really wanting from him.

She had asked very indirectly about if her husband had retaliated against the rebels. It was easy to answer he had just ventured back from seeing their charred bodies earlier that night. But he wouldn't answer what she was really asking.

What she really said was: _W_ _ill you fight for me and my son? Will you save us if we need you to? Will you give me information when my husband won't?_

Then she had followed it all up with _'I'm so sorry to put this all on you EZ. I just didn't know who else to ask.'_ As if he was the only one in her whole world that could make a difference.

So, when he answered her unfeelingly with only facts, 'it already has...retaliation...two innocents burned to death...dumped in merchant square…' she knew what he was really telling her was _**NO!**_

She teared up then, like the response was the last thing she expected and she stood abruptly to leave. He stood with her and she had whipped around and looked at him like she had expected him to comfort her. He wouldn't, not now, not ever again. Instead he had picked up the roast his pop had left on the counter, handed it to her and opened the door, gesturing for her to make her way through it. She hadn't even given him another glance before she stormed away.

"That wasn't how I imagined your reunion to go." his Pop commented as he came back around the corner from where he had clearly been hiding and eavesdropping.

"Oh, ¿por qué no?" EZ turned from the door after locking it.

"No lo sé. I always thought you would go back. No es que debas, pero pensé que lo arreglarías."

"Why would I fix it. I may have made a mistake in trying to push her away, but what she did in return was unforgivable. There is nothing left to fix and the fact that she came here fully aware that what she was asking for is dangerous proves that. She doesn't care about anyone but herself and a baby that isn't mine."

He didn't want to see the look he knew his Pop was giving him. He knew he had come across as harsh but it was also the truth. Emily needed to figure out her mess on her own, it wasn't his job to rush in a save her.

"I think the wiring under the stove is fixed. Do you need anything else? Tengo que volver."

His Pop shook his head and turned to go back to the kitchen.

 _EZ sighed. 'Why the fuck isn't it okay for me to just move on?'_

He was lost in thought on his way back to the clubhouse. He realized that part of the reason Emily felt like she could jerk him around the way she tried to, was because he hadn't really moved on with his life. Sure, he was totally separate from her but he hadn't been with anyone else, dated around, settled down. He didn't outwardly show as off limits to Emily so she thought she could use him.

It had been almost a year since he had gotten out. He had been wearing his prospect patch for more than 6 months and everything was going pretty well. Maybe it was time to finally start thinking about his life on the other side of this Galindo shit.

The image that immediately popped into his head after that thought was of a tiny black turtleneck dress and boots that went up to mid thigh.

 _'And...fuck! That shiny black hair that curled down to her hips.'_

If Ezekiel didn't know better he would swear Leticia was the devil who had come to collect his soul. The longer he had entertained the idea of her the more he had come to like imagining what they might be. He had just followed through earlier that morning with what she had asked of him. He had ordered the dual exhaust kit, floated it with his own money, that for some reason he was absolutely positive she would **A)** pay him back for and **B)** be absolutely pissed about him not waiting to use the money she had said she would drop off by Wednesday.

He smiled just thinking about how that conversation would go. Maybe he should give her a heads up, let her really work up to being pissed, that could be very entertaining. He fished his phone out of his pocket as he dismounted his bike.

 **Ordered your brother's birthday gift this morning. It should be here no later than Monday.**

 **~Ezekiel**

He fired off the text and knew his night was about to get a whole lot more interesting. He smirked to himself when his phone buzzed almost immediately. He hadn't even made it inside the trailer yet and she was already slinging words back at him.

 **I'm sorry...was I not clear when I said I would drop the money off to you tomorrow? I assumed you needed it to order the gift _I_ am getting my brother.**

 **~Leticia**

He almost couldn't stop himself from laughing as he texted her back, flinging himself down on his bed simultaneously.

 **What's the difference? You can just pay me back tomorrow when you come over.**

 **~Ezekiel**

He didn't have to wait more than a minute before his phone began ringing.

"Yes?" He answered nonchalantly.

"Oh so I'm coming over tomorrow now? And here I thought it was your turn to come to me... " Leticia purred back.

 _'Oh fuck!'_ That sound went straight to his dick and for once he wasn't even second guessing it.

"Am I? From where I stand you kind of owe me...plus I'm doing work for you for free to make this little surprise go off without a hitch. You can't repay me with more tacos? Or was I confused about your wicked ways to a man's heart?" He chuckled.

"So he asks for things now? Typical, stringing the damsel in distress along, finally making her believe that knights still exist, only to give her the conditions of her rescue after the fact…" she laughed back at him.

"Pero en serio, tacos mañana?" He replied

"¡Guauu! Tu hablas español. Suenas jodidamente caliente. You've never spoken to me in Spanish before. I was starting to think the real you wasn't going to live up to my dream version."

"Oh, you have a dream version of me, Leticia?" He smirked to himself

It had been a long time since he had flirted so shamelessly with someone. But after the way he had just been used, solely because another woman thought she could manipulate him with her wiles, he felt like he deserved to feel like there was someone in his life that didn't want anything but him.

"Well, I suppose you'll never know." He could tell wherever she was a blush graced her beautiful face.

He paused a moment at that answer. It occurred to him briefly that at times she seemed so innocent considering what she did for a living. It was easy to forget that she was probably a lot younger than she seemed. Ezekiel had really had second thoughts about their interactions based on the fact that he knew she was young. But somehow, somewhere in between eating from his hands and tempting him to kiss her, he had let that go.

"That's a real shame...I could invision putting a lot of effort into making that dream version a reality just to spite you...that is... if there was a dream version at all."

"I will be over tomorrow at 9 when your dad closes up. ¿Quieres lengua y barbacoa o solo lengua?" She was flustered and she was used to being the one to ruffle feathers he could tell.

"Sólo la lengua por favor y puedes conseguir un par de cervezas?" It wasn't really a good test to determine how old she actually was especially in this neighborhood.

"Sure. Good night Ezekiel. Who knows maybe dream you will visit me before tomorrow." She whispered to him.

He chuckled and hung up before he really fucked himself. He couldn't respond to that one, because he knew he would really throw himself into the deep end if he did.

So he made sure he had definitely pushed end as he whispered _"I hope he only makes you happy until the real me can."_

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

This was bad...this was really bad. Was she going on a fucking date tomorrow?

 _'Hay dios mio! ¿Qué estoy haciendo?'_

Leticia had literally zero experience with dating. Was that even what they were doing now? She wasn't sure. It sounded like a date, there had been flirting, and whispered compliments, and plans made with no direct indications towards sex.

 _'Shit...this is a date.'_

 _'So what?! Woman the fuck up!'_

Well fuck...She was right thought. If this was a date she was about to knock this dude's fucking socks off. She didn't care for the fact that he had gotten her sounding timid and shy on the phone. She was used to men being so enamored by her that they were the ones who were speechless.

 _'Oh, Ezekiel you have no idea what you are in for.'_

She had been back home for a few days now, which worked out well for her since almost all her cuter/not working outfits were here. It would be dark by the time she got to his dad's place tomorrow. So white was out of the question, even though it looked fantastic against her skin. She didn't want to give him the wrong idea though and wear something too sexy so black and red were out too.

 _'Something in the middle than…'_ she thought to herself as she flipped through the dresses in her closet. She lingered over an emerald green strappy number that came down to her knees, but it was too figure hugging and low cut.

 _'Yes...this is the one. Sweet but still hot.'_ She stilled on the one as she admired its possibilities. Finally nodding her head at her decision. She pulled a hot pink off the shoulder ruffled dress out. It fell to her knees but it had a slit up to mid thigh. With the tan she had now, her skin would absolutely glow in this dress. It didn't show any cleavage but her shoulders and collar bone would be fully exposed. This dress would show quite a bit of skin but not any in places that were overtly sexy.

She hung the dress on her full length mirror for tomorrow. She needed to get ready for tonight. She was working a party with two of her friends. It was a fraternity party for California Southern College. It was $1000 each, paid upfront since Brittney had worked these parties before and they knew she wouldn't cut and run.

The dress code was college sluts...whatever the fuck that meant. She was wearing the tiniest cutoffs she owned and a lace teddy as a bodysuit. She had her hair half up with a messy little bun and curled the rest, plus some winged eyeliner and fuck me red lipstick. The bruising on her neck was fading to a yellow brown color which was pretty easy to cover with makeup now. She would need to touch it up sometime in the night though so she brought a creme compact with her.

They were working from 12-6, which meant she would be back in enough time to sleep, shower, blow dry her long ass hair, and spend as much time getting ready for her date as she wanted.

 _'Stop calling it a date, bitch…'_ she scolded herself as she heard a horn sound downstairs. Her ride was here. She grabbed her backpack and purse, slid her feet into her trusty thigh high boots and locked the door behind her.

"Hurry up bitch! We are running late already. We are supposed to be there by midnight." Her friend Lexi shouted from the passenger seat.

Leticia looked down at her phone, the time read 10:47. Well making the hour and a half drive to San Diego was going to be faster than it usually was.

"Who's fault is that, slut? I've been ready for ages…" She giggled as she flopped down in the backseat.

The ride was smooth, they blared music and danced and sang. Sometimes it was easy for Leticia to forget who she was in these moments. This easy girlfriend bonding could have been mistaken for normal highschool girls having a good time.

"So tell me what is new in your life Leti...You seemed busy when I asked you to do this party with me a few days ago." Brittney asked as she turned down the music, looking at Leticia through the rearview mirror.

"I have just had a lot going on lately that's all. I've been working a lot to buy my brother this awesome birthday gift he has really been wanting. Plus I've been like doubling up on my online classes because I'm trying to finish that shit before Christmas."

"What online classes?" Lexi turned around to look at her.

"Oh...well...I thought I would get my G.E.D. you know? I don't see myself ever going back to actual school and I mean I can't do this forever. Eventually I'm going to get too old and I will have to go to work as a waitress or something. You know they don't hire anyone without finishing highschool." Leticia explained quickly.

She hadn't mentioned to any of her friends that she had been finishing school online. She started a few months after she began looking for her brother. At first it was this delusional fantasy that her brother could save her from the life she led and maybe take care of her for a little while. Maybe she would go to cosmetology school so she could do hair...she knew she would enjoy that a lot more than sucking dick for a living. Then the longer she spent completing the classes the more she started wanting to finish for herself. To prove she was more than just what had happened to her or what she did day to day.

She turned back to her friends as they burst into giggles. She hadn't realized she had started staring off into space as she explained herself.

"Seriously you're finishing...you realize you're never going to use that right? Why not just live your life now and then when you start downgrading from high-end just get pregnant?" Lexi asked.

This was exactly why she hadn't tried to explain this to any of her friends. She knew none of them would understand why she wanted more for herself. From their perspective she made tons of money, had a mom who let her do whatever she wanted because she understood the life, and didn't need to change at all. They had all chosen this life, they had come willingly to the thrill of fast money, free drugs, and male attention. None of them had been straight A students, thrown into a room with a monster against their will.

"Well it's just a backup anyway." She giggled back as though she thought it was kind of ridiculous too.

"Oh! I also have a date tomorrow." She teased them with that bit of info but didn't elaborate.

"Shut up! Like a date date...like not a work thing? Oh my god really?" Brittney shouted at the top of her lungs.

"¡Deja de gritar!" Lexi moaned flinching away from where Brittney had screamed in her ear.

"Stop it! You know I can't speak Spanish...that shit is rude." Brittney frowned at her friends.

Leticia burst into giggles at that. How a petite blonde girl from San Diego started tricking and hanging out with two latina prostitutes from Santo Padre was beyond her.

"Oh my God...that shit is too funny. But yeah I have a date. He works with my brother. We are meeting up tomorrow at 9 for dinner. He is helping me with this big surprise for my brother's birthday too so I have to go over details with him."

"9 is early… definitely too early for just a fuck buddy...so it is actually dinner?" Lexi reasoned.

"It is actually dinner." Leticia confirmed.

"Is he hot?" Brittney asked.

How did she answer that question? Of course Ezekiel was hot...he was smokin' hot...but he was so much more than that. She barely knew him but she could tell he was 6 and a half feet of heart. Which made him even more attractive to her. Most hot guys burned bright but they burned out fast. She could tell Ezekiel would be a slow burn to madness, and once she reached it she knew she wouldn't even care if it hurt. She couldn't tell her friends that though, they wouldn't get it.

"Girl oh my god...biceps as big as my legs, I swear!" She said instead, which prompted another round of giggling.

"Oh! This is my favorite song!" Brittney screamed again as she turned to volume up on the radio.

Leticia turned towards the window. She suddenly felt nervous about the whole situation. Everything felt like it was leading to this big life changing moment and, though she had been seeking that out, it terrified her. In less than a week she would meet her brother for the first time. Something she had worked so hard to make happen. But more than that she would be meeting him while standing beside someone who she had come to trust even rely on. There was something about Ezekiel that felt important, really important... like something she would highlight and underline because he was definitely going to be worth the most points on the final. She suddenly felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, but she wanted to jump, even though it was a fucking really long way down.

They pulled off the highway and started driving though campus. Leticia pulled out her phone again, the time read 3 minutes to midnight.

 **You're already my dream version...seriously. This shit with my brother means a lot. Can't wait for tomorrow. I will bring extra tacos since you're a giant amongst lesser mortals.**

 **~Leticia**

With that she powered her phone down to save battery and hopped out of the car. She had work to do before she could enjoy tomorrow.

* * *

 _ **Translations:**_

 _"Oh, ¿por qué no?" : "Oh, why not?"_

 _"No lo sé. I always thought you would go back. No es que debas, pero pensé que lo arreglarías." : "I don't know. I always thought you would go back. Not that you should, but I thought you would fix it."_

 _"...Tengo que volver." : "...I have to head back."_

 _"Pero en serio, tacos mañana?" : "But seriously, tacos tomorrow?"_

 _"¡Guauu! Tu hablas español. Suenas jodidamente caliente…" : "Wow! You do speak Spanish. You sound fucking hot…"_

 _"...¿Quieres lengua y barbacoa o solo lengua?" : "...Do you want lengua and barbacoa or just lengua?_

 _"Sólo la lengua por favor y puedes conseguir un par de cervezas?" : "Only lengua, please and can you get a couple beers?"_

 _'Hay dios mio! ¿Qué estoy haciendo?' : 'Oh my god! What am I doing?'_

 _"¡Deja de gritar!" : "Stop screaming!"_


	12. Chapter 12- Closing the Gap

**A.N. Honestly, I was super unmotivated to write anything or commit myself to anything of substance over the last few months. I had way too many things on my plate all at once but with the Holidays approaching some of those stresses are taking a back seat.**

 **This chapter is super emotional, and I hadn't originally planned for it to go in the direction it ended up going. I've had to revise some of the following chapters to get back to my plot line but I think it will be worth it in the end. The more I try and force these two away into their own boxes the more they want to gravitate towards each other...they are kind of like magnets that way.**

 **Anyway, onto the chapter. I own nothing of Mayans or S.O.A. they are solely Kurt's.**

* * *

 **Ezekiel's P.O.V.**

If it wasn't the FEDS about to get him killed, it was his fucking brother. Six months into this deal and EZ was praying for a single day to go by where he wasn't being threatened with some kind of mortal danger.

When Bishop had shot Angel's buyer in the back of the head it took almost everything for him not to duck for cover so he wouldn't drop just as fast. But by some fucking miracle of fate no one had any idea that he, Angel, or any of the younger patches had been involved.

 _'By another miracle the fucker landed totally on the rug too...easy to roll up I guess.' he thought as he rubbed his split knuckles._

He'd been so amped after dragging the dead Asian out that he had needed to beat on a mouthy off duty just to blow off steam. There were so many plates in the air right now, they were getting hard to keep track of.

 **Closing up early tonight. Will be at home.**

 **~Pops**

 _'Fuck...are you kidding me?'_

Now he had to change all of his plans with Leticia. He had been looking forward to seeing her all day, especially now after the way his day had ended. He had finally come to accept the fact that they seemed to be headed down a path that would end with them entwined, and now that he had he was nervous about their meetup/date.

What if she thought he was bailing on helping her with CoCo's gift? What if she thought he was just canceling because he wasn't feeling it... or her? What if she moved on because she thought it was a waste of time? He cringed at the thought of her with anyone else. Somehow in the span days he had become more convinced that she was ol' lady material and the idea of her not with him in the future turned his stomach.

 _'Damn! Would she think it was weird coming over to my place instead? Is it too soon for that?'_

Jesus, all this shit was so confusing, and he annoyingly had no experience dealing with it because he had spent his entire fucking adult life in a cage. One second he wanted to take it slow and the next he wanted to demand that she never leave his side. It was crazy to him that they were dancing around each other, flirting like the semi-strangers they were but at the same time he connected with her like someone he'd been with forever, someone who was meant to be. Maybe they were...meant to be...fuck.

 _'Well, what's Angel always saying...you have to shoot your shot?' He shrugged and texted her, even though he was freaked about what it would end up meaning._

 **Hey my Pops closed up early. If you really want tacos we can reschedule for tomorrow...I was thinking burgers at my place tonight if you're still up for it though...**

 **~Ezekiel**

He waited, hoping she wouldn't think it was too late. Hoping she hadn't already started heading over to the shop. It was only half an hour's notice…

 **You're lucky I like you and that I know you are too scared of my brother to try and murder me. Address?**

 **~Leticia**

His immediate thought was that he wasn't scared of CoCo at all. He could end that gangly douche any day. Then he realized his place was disgusting and he was living in a trailer outside the clubhouse.

 _'Why would I tell her to come over here? Not the best first impression…'_

 **Yeah about that...so as a Prospect I have to live at the clubhouse. I have my own space thankfully but it's a little cramped. Just a head's up.**

 **~Ezekiel**

He nervously began cleaning everything in his trailer while he waited for a response. By the time he had put all his shit away so the table was clear and changed his sheets his phone was ringing over by the dishes soaking in the tiny sink. He answered, sure she was calling to reschedule.

"I'm at the burger place. What do you want? Also, please tell me I will not have to walk through somewhere and see my brother or anyone else with random pussy draped all over them to get to your set up…" She sounded lighter than he was expecting. Like she wasn't even really phased by this change in plan.

"Hola a ti también… No, right when you pull into the gate, I got a trailer out front of the shop entrance. You know where the shop is right?" He laughed, feeling relieved she didn't seem bothered.

"Bueno. So what do you want…?"

"Double with cheese, with onions and pickles y animal fries. Oh and hey...don't talk to anyone in the parking lot, cool? Some of the patches might be in the clubhouse partying and I don't want you to get mixed up with anyone over there tonight, entendido?"

"Sí papi, no extraños, lo tengo." She laughed before hanging up on him.

He absolutely would not admit that his first thought after being called "daddy" was that he was glad he had changed his sheets. Jesus Christ... this girl was going to be the death of him...tonight was going to seriously test his control, and he hadn't even fucking seen her yet.

* * *

 **Leticia's P.O.V.**

After her slip up with the "daddy" comment she was determined not to be thrown off her game. She had spent hours making sure she would make an impression with her looks but she wanted to make an impression with her confidence too. She was tired of feeling like a blushing school girl around him, constantly in her fucking feelings and shit. Hopefully tonight she could get herself back under control.

She had thought a lot about the situation she had gotten herself into with Ezekiel over the last few weeks. The longer she had spent getting ready for something that was supposed to be a casual exchange of money for a gift, the more positive she had become that they were going to be something. She was almost sure that they were going to be something big...maybe even epic by the end of it all.

She had spent 3 hours getting ready, curling her hair, doing her makeup, putting on her sexy yet modest dress, all to go eat burgers in a trailer outside an auto-shop. If that didn't say she was verging on desperate for the dude she didn't know what did.

She had been telling herself to take it easy the entire drive over but now that she was pulling into the lot the shop shared with the clubhouse she was second guessing that idea. In fact, the idea of controlling herself went right out the window as soon as she looked up. Scantily clad girls, just like the ones she worked with, were everywhere. Groups of them were hovering around bikes, walking in and out of the clubhouse, a few were hanging all over some of the patches that were outside smoking, and her immediate thought was how much better she was at seduction than these cheap whores. She just felt ... jealous.

She went from wanting to take it easy with EZ because she actually liked him, to getting angry that these $10 hookers would be anywhere close to her man.

 _'My man… what the fuck?!' She questioned her own reflection in the rear view mirror._

But then, she really thought about that...she had just brought this dude dinner, dressed up for him, texted him in all her free time, there was chemistry...fuck a lot of chemistry…she had even thought about the potential future and he had been there.

 _'Damn...he kinda is my man...he just doesn't know yet.'_

But she wanted him to. She wanted there to be no doubt that Ezekiel was not only unavailable to others, but that he was fucking ecstatic of that fact. So, with that realization she grabbed the food, checked her lipstick one last time, and got out of the car. She had parked close to the trailer so it was only 10 steps to the door. She saw him through the window to the left of the door. He was sitting on his bed, wearing sweats and a grey wife beater, nervously rubbing his knuckles. Instead of knocking, she balanced the drink carrier and burgers on her hip and opened the door with her other hand. The door wasn't weighted and she stumbled a bit when she bumped it open with her shoulder.

When the door roughly swung open, he shot up and immediately came over to help her. He steadied her in the doorway by grabbing her elbow, and reached to take the food from her with his other hand. Before he could step away though, she stepped into him. His breath hitched as he looked down at her, about to question just what exactly she thought she was doing.

 _'It's now or never, I guess…'_

She had already decided though, Ezekiel was hers, and no whore, or hanger on of the club was going to be better than her in any way. So before he could ask her what she was doing… she stretched up on her tiptoes, so close she could feel his breath on her lips.

"Hola papi…" She whispered before she closed the gap between them.

She didn't linger long, mostly because he didn't return the affection in any way. He was too tall for her to maintain their position without straining unless he leaned down, which he didn't. She dropped back to her heels intent to move away, dropping her head in embarrassment. What had started as a flirty hello, had turned to the feeling of icy disappointment. Maybe she had read the last two weeks wrong?

He caught her by the elbow again as she went to take a step back. Goosebumps broke out over her skin as he trailed his hand up her arm. Damn it all, even while rejecting her he gave her butterflies. The hand continued over her shoulder, cupping her neck and ended up tangling in her hair as he angled her face back to his. Their eyes meeting again. She wasn't sure what it was she saw there, but it was clear he was struggling with something.

He didn't lean back in, but he didn't push her away either. He just gripped her hair a little tighter while he stared at her. What he was looking for she had no idea. She wished she did, she wished she knew how to take the look in his eyes away. Slowly he reached his thumb out across her cheek, trailing it down towards her mouth. He smoothed away her partially smudged lipstick, while she waited for him to say something.

He made her wait for a long moment, just looking at her. It was almost as if he was reading a book that confused him, fascinated by what he would find if he read a little more, but also like the idea of reading it might hurt him. She had been intent on taking back control of their situation, but every time she thought she had him he would do something like this. In one breath she would realize he was so much more, so much deeper than what she had anticipated.

She was never going to control their situation. He wasn't like anyone she had ever dealt with before, he didn't just want. Everyone she had dealt with before wanted something, wanted sex, wanted affection, wanted danger, wanted fantasy, wanted to be wanted. The one thing they all had in common though was they wanted something from her. She could tell Ezekiel wanted too, but the difference was maybe he also needed something more than just want. She just wished she could figure out what it was he needed.

She refocused on his eyes, realizing she had lost herself in thought.

"There it is…" he finally whispered back as he continued to stare into her eyes. "You see it now, yeah? You see how much power you have even as I hold you here, but you realize how much power I have too. You see how violent this is gonna be...how intense...how much it could break us...heal us...how much it already is. You feel it, the need..."

She was stunned, it was like he could read every thought in her head, like he could see everything she felt. She opened her mouth to respond but he closed her lips with his thumb, still tracing the shape of her lips.

"¿Estás seguro? ¿Quieres empezar este conmigo? You need to be sure, because I'm not the one who plays around. It is or it isn't. ¿Lo entiendes? I can't do anything but black or white, not again."

She sunk into his hand, letting go of tension she didn't realize she was holding onto. It was like an explosion she didn't want to brace herself against.

"Come on, there will be time to talk after we eat these."

He finally grabbed the bag of food out of her hand and stepped away, and like that it was as if everything was different. He never fully left her space, his hand shifting to her lower back to guide her to the small, two person table to the right of the door. He turned them, and sat himself on the bench on the far wall before pulling her down onto his knee. She immediately started pulling things out of the bag to try and keep her hands busy. Anything to not overthink how right this all felt.

"Esto es tuyo." She said before unwrapping his food and setting it off to her left so he could reach it without moving her.

She turned towards him, pulling all her hair over her right shoulder, leaving her left shoulder and arm fully exposed. She realized she was already subconsciously sinking into traditional Mexican gender roles, serving him food, waiting for him to start eating, concerning herself that he might need something else. She could tell he realized it too, and instead of saying anything he bent and briefly kissed her shoulder before he started eating. When he had taken a few bites she started unwrapping her food and slowly started eating as well. He finished quickly and pulled her body further into him while she kept eating.

"We need to talk about this before you give me your answer." He said as he reached up and began running his fingers through her hair. He couldn't seem to keep his hands out of it now that he was so close. She nodded and continued picking at her food, trying to let him fill the silence before she had to.

"I can see it, feel it, you're not crazy. I don't want you to think it's just you. We don't really know anything about each other Leticia and yet somehow it feels like we know everything about each other doesn't it?" He asked.

It was true. She didn't know much about Ezekiel but she also felt like she knew everything. Maybe she recognized some parts of him that were also in her, maybe that was why they connected so strongly. He leaned in and rested his forehead against the back of her head and waited for her to respond.

"I know what I need to know. Igual que tú. We are the same in ways that matter, in ways that others don't understand. I see it sometimes when you are quiet. What we do though Ezekiel, the choices we make, have to make sometimes doesn't only represent who we are. We can be more than what we've had to do, what we've done."

Leticia didn't know how this conversation had come about so quickly, or how it had gotten so deep in a few sentences, but they were there now. She leaned back into him and grabbed his left hand, wrapping his whole arm around her body.

"Up until several months ago, I have spent the last 7 years in prison." He confessed from behind her.

"I know Ezekiel. I'm not blind. Don't take this the wrong way, because in the name of honesty I think they are hot as fuck, but you have prison tattoos. Plus you look barely younger than your brother yet he is patched and very involved in the club but you aren't yet even though you are smart and hard working. You're behind but not for a lack of effort, which means it's just time. I figured jail was the most logical explanation."

He had stilled as she'd gone on. Maybe she'd been too blunt about what she'd thought. But then he suddenly started laughing. She whipped around, confused about the reason for his reaction.

"I'm sorry. It's just, I didn't realize how alike we actually are until right this moment. It seems you are just as good at reading people as I am. You see even what they don't want you to."

She turned back to the table and began tracing patterns in the top. In the name of equality she figured she should divulge something that he didn't know as well.

"I've been taking classes for the last several months to complete my G.E.D. None of my friends understand why and I haven't even mentioned it to my mom. She would fucking lose it. Sometimes, I feel so suffocated by how much my life isn't what I want it to be, and I just thought I could do this one thing and maybe it would change...everything else...maybe that's crazy."

They sat for several long minutes with that hanging in the air. He stayed wrapped around her and she was glad for it. She still struggled with the idea that she deserved to better herself in any way. He squeezed her a little tighter before he began speaking again. It was almost as if he expected her to run at whatever he was about to say. She tensed in anticipation.

"You need to know, that if by the time you leave this trailer you've decided we are a we, you can't ever go back to what you do now. Not while you're with me, and as you said in the name of honesty, I don't think you'll ever be without me again once this starts. I absolutely, under no circumstances, will share you with anyone, ever. Do you understand?"

"Ezekiel you can't ask me to do that. It's my job for one thing...it's the only way I make money." She pushed his arm from her and stood, flipping her hair as she turned to face him.

"But I can't just leave...it doesn't work like that. Especially not for girls like me, girls that make money. You must realize I answer to someone. There is no way Ronnie would just let that happen."

He looked completely unphased by that statement. The only indication he felt anything about the fact that someone basically owned her was the veins in his arms became even more pronounced as he flexed his arms across his chest.

"No! Lo haré. You'll leave. If you're mine Leticia, you're mine. That's it, black or white. Trataré con él si es necesario. Él te dejará ir. No voy a preguntar."

He said it like it was the easiest thing in the world. Like she could just call and quit and that would be it. She didn't work at a fucking LuluLemon! She couldn't just give two weeks notice and get a glowing recommendation. Ronnie wasn't a terrible pimp but mostly because she rarely stepped out of line anymore. After the first year she learned that it was easier to fall in line than to heal any type of painful physical wound. She thought he understood, she was flirty, and sexy, and she could maybe love him, but she wasn't really free.

Before she could stop it, it felt like the room began closing in on her. She turned away from him as quickly as she could manage and took a few steps further into the trailer. What the fuck, she had been wanting this, desperately, for years. She even started taking those stupid fucking classes in hopes that this very moment, be it with her brother, would happen. But now that it was here, she felt like her only option was to run away, run back to what she knew.

It took all of two seconds for her hands to start shaking and her eyes to start watering. She prayed with everything in her she could just calm herself enough to keep it in, keep it down. But she couldn't, and before she knew it she was bending at the waist, crossing her arms around her body in hopes of keeping herself together, and then she began sobbing.

He was there, all at once. Arms braced around her tiny body, like if she couldn't keep herself together he could. He was there when her legs gave out under the force of her sobs, and he carried her further into the trailer. He was there, keeping her connected to his body as he walked to his dresser and fished out a T-shirt. So she noticed when he set her down next to the bed gently and pulled the shirt over her head as if she were the most breakable thing he had ever handled. He ran his hands down past the hem of the shirt slowly like he didn't want to spook her, and pulled her dress down, letting it pool on the floor.

She clearly got the wrong idea though because in the next second she was kissing him trying desperately to make sure he would be there. She was crying, mascara running, all her hair tucked into the neck of his tee, and gripping him by the shirt so hard she thought she might tear straight through it. This was her, open now, right in front of him. She was so utterly broken by the idea of something good. But fuck it, if he wasn't the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

He pried her hands off him and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, wrenching her away from him. The look of disgust on his face devastated her, twisting her heart into something that pained her with each breath.

"Don't leave...please don't leave." She begged as she tried to pull him towards her again. This was how she survived, if she could just give him what he wanted.

"¡Basta! Mírame. No te estoy dejando." She stilled then as she continued to cry. He grabbed her face with both his hands and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Don't you see? I want you, but I don't want anything from you. No te quitaré nada. Te lo daré todo if you let me."

He held her there, as she searched his face for the truth of what he'd just said. She could see it immediately though and her tears quieted to sniffles. He took several slow deep breaths and within moments she had matched his breathing further calming herself with his help. His hands gentled on either side of her face and slid lower to cup either side of her neck. He bent slowly and rested his forehead on hers. She closed her eyes, tears already welling again from how right she finally felt. Fuck she was emotionally out of control and needed to get it together.

"Let me? Let me, Leticia." He almost begged her. She couldn't form any words because she knew she would immediately start crying again if she tried. So instead she placed both hands on his chest and just nodded. She had no idea how a simple burger date had turned into talks of forever but she was here now, and somehow here felt a lot like home.

And this time he was the one that closed the gap between them.

* * *

 **Translations:**

 _"Hola a ti también…" - "Hello to you too…"_

 _"Bueno…" - "Good…"_

 _"...entendido?" - "...understood?"_

 _"Sí papi, no extraños, lo tengo." - "Yes daddy, no strangers, I got it."_

 _"Hola papi…" - "Hi daddy…"_

 _"¿Estás seguro? ¿Quieres empezar este conmigo?...¿Lo entiendes?" - "Are you sure? You want to start this with me?...Got me?"_

 _"Esto es tuyo." - "This is yours."_

 _"...Igual que tú…" - "...Same as you…"_

 _"No! Lo haré...Trataré con él si es necesario. Él te dejará ir. No voy a preguntar." - "No! I will. I will deal with him if I need to. He will let you leave. I won't be asking."_

 _"¡Basta! Mírame. No te estoy dejando." - "Enough! Look at me. I'm not leaving you."_

 _"...No te quitaré nada. Te lo daré todo…" - " I won't take anything from you. I will give you everything…"_


End file.
